Rain poured out over the village of Kumogakure, drenching flagstone and people alike. The whole village was buzzing with life, the throngs of people in the streets thicker than the usual fare. Tourists mingled with visiting shinobi, businesses capitalizing on the income from travelers. The influx of money would do Kumo good. The usual civilian groups seemed on edge, watching the visitors with careful eyes, not quite trusting shinobi who swore allegiance to Kages other than their own. The Chuunin Exams had drawn people into Kumo like a magnet, and the regular old Kumo-nin were left to watch their village like hawks. International incidents would reflect badly on both the shinobi and Raikage. Nobody wanted any of that. For Ame the buzz was a very real one. She felt slightly annoyed at all of it, but had to keep a careful mask of serenity. She was representing Kumo every step outside of her house, after all. Doubly so as a student of the honored Raikage himself. Just trying to get through the streets made her feel weak. The constant shifts in electrical signals all around her made her slightly dizzy, but she wasn't in the mood to tangle with the village Anbu while trying to roof hop instead. She was sure she would just be stopped every five meters and checked for ID. It was not a pleasant experience when your village protectors doubted your credibility. She shifted her forehead protector back into place across her forehead almost subconsciously at the thought. 

Ame finally pushed through the thick of the crowd and into a less loud and headache-inducing area. The chatter had thinned out to an acceptable din, but foreigners still littered the streets, oohing and awing at cultural practices they were unfamiliar with. Truth be told Ame had been a little disappointed to hear that the exams were to be held in Kumo. She had sort of hoped for the chance to visit another village had the exams been held elsewhere, but she had her duty and she was going to stick with it. She breathed deeply, pushing her soaked hair out of her eyes, leaving it flat against her scalp. She was drenched right to the bone, but it didn't bother her at all. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted something that was a miracle in and of itself. An empty bench. "Bless kami." Ame plopped herself down on the bench, resting her chin in her hands as she sorted out her exhausted perception. People walked past her without a second glance. Maybe she could get away with it for one moment? 

Thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance. Ame tilted her head back, water droplets bouncing off her skin and sliding over her features. In almost no time at all there was a steady stream of water dripping from her chin. The tension in her shoulders relaxed slightly. Her eyes fluttered closed and her mind drifted away. Happy to just spend her time in the rain. There was nothing more she could ask for. 

---

Words: 513

“Maybe I picked a bad time to return to Kumogakure,” Ryuusei mused to himself with a sigh, trudging his way through the puddle-filled and tourist flooded streets of his hometown. Not that he was really given much of a say in the matter, though. After the incident at the graduation tournament, he was more or less ordered to return to his childhood home on directive of the daimyo himself. But he couldn’t complain too much about the situation. How long had he been wanting to leave the capital and return to his old life? In truth he never wanted to go in the first place, but what is a kid to say to a father who received what to this day he does on about as “his life’s greatest honor”? At least this way, his father’s cooperation was required out of fealty. Even more than that, his father even saw it as an honor to be recognized and sent on an assignment by the daimyo himself, even if it involved training in the shinobi arts which his father tried his very best to work out of Ryuusei.

This was what Ryuusei had wanted for years… but the years had already changed what he thought he once knew so much without the sea of tourists that had come in for the upcoming Chunnin exams. The white haired young man cared for the people in his home. That same sentiment did not necessarily extend to every single person that was merely in the village on vacation. It wasn’t that he didn’t like people, but… even those that he cared for could pretty easily grate his nerves, especially when they showed a complete disregard for proper etiquette or common courtesy. It also didn’t help that it had been pouring the whole day. The weather necessitated a certain style of dress, namely boots and a jacket, which was fine. Ryuusei was not a huge fan of carrying around umbrellas though. Considering that Ryuusei couldn’t even vaguely remember the last time he caught a cold, an attempt to stay dry seemed largely pointless to him unless he had somewhere to be where his clothing mattered. This was not one of those days.

Still, out of habit, he held an umbrella in hand to shield him from the falling precipitation. While he no longer made an effort to enjoy the feel of raindrops against his face, he could now find a small comfort of sorts in the sounds made by raindrops bouncing off an umbrella. Perhaps it was because he was simply a very perceptive person, or perhaps he was just strange, but something as small as that really did manage to help put him at ease, even among all the chaos in the bustling streets around him. As he moved through the streets, a strange sight would catch his eye: the image of a girl sitting alone on a bench, eyes closed and head tilted back to face the sky. What reason could there possibly be for this girl to be out here alone, in the rain, without any protection from the weather? For obvious reasons, Ryuusei’s curiosity led him to believe that something might have been wrong, and nudged him towards the bench where the girl was sitting. As he stood in front of the bench, the young man would reach out with his left hand a bit, tilting the umbrella slightly to shield the girl’s face from the weather in case something really was wrong. “Uhhh… excuse me, miss? Are you…okay?”

---

599~

Ame was half-asleep on that bench, her mind occupied by more trivial things than usual. She most likely would have been perfectly content to fall asleep completely, had the steady spray of water droplets not abruptly stopped. She opened her eyes, the water on her eyelashes sliding off the sides of her face. The first thing she saw was an umbrella, spread to protect her from the rain. The sound of raindrops pelting the waterproof material was probably what had roused her so quickly. She followed the handle of the umbrella to the hand that held it, eventually coming up to the concerned face of a man she didn't recognize. Ame felt a sudden flash of embarrassment. She had been caught. "Ah, sorry but I missed your question." Judging by the look on his face though, he was most likely just concerned for a young girl like her sitting alone on a bench in the rain. She tilted her head back into a more natural position. "I'm perfectly fine though, if I looked otherwise." Ame belatedly realised that she had probably looked half like a vagabond.

She took a good look at the man who had caught her, wondering if he was just another tourist or maybe (on the less than likely off-chance) a fellow Kumo-nin. Ame caught the glint of a metal plate sewn into the man's scarf, the symbol for Kumo easily recognizable on it. He didn't look familiar though, and she was sure she knew most of the current Kumo-nin, or at least the ones that were close to her in age. The man didn't appear to be very much older than her. She was sure she would have remembered white hair coupled with pale skin. It wasn't so common a colour combination in Kumo. Ame realized her rudeness and stood, careful to avoid knocking into his umbrella. "Ah, forgive my impoliteness. Ameryuu, Chuunin of Kumogakure." Ame dipped her head in an impression of a bow, smiling at the man on her way up. Her hair was still dripping, as with the rest of her, and she was sure that the man would want to avoid getting his hands wet. 

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed that the streets had become slightly less populated since her crash onto the bench. She supposed that the weather had finally gotten to the crowds. Now it was mostly the usual Kumo civilians, as they were quite used to dealing with the village's unpredictable weather. Them and a few hard-headed tourists who were still determined to see the sights. One or two looked at her oddly but she ignored them, used to strange looks from the various antics her sensei had her engage in. At least she would be able to make it back home without having her feet stepped on at every turn. 

---

Words: 488 ~ 1001

From her initial response, it seemed as though the girl had been spacing out entirely there on that bench, having to ask Ryuusei to repeat his question as she snapped back into reality. Now that he had stepped closer and gotten a better look at the girl, he could see how young she looked. From her face alone, he would have guessed her slightly younger than himself, probably around the age of cadets entering officer training school back at the military academy. She was tall though, surprisingly so. Even seated her length made her age somewhat more difficult to decipher. Not that it mattered. Ryuusei was not about to completely forget his manners due to some fleeting curiosity.

“Ah, so you’re a ‘ryuu’ as well?” he replied with a tinge of enthusiasm and a friendly smile, “My name is Ryuusei. I just recently arrived in Kumogakure. I guess you could say I’m new around here. Well, not exactly new. It’s not like I haven’t been here before. Sigh. Never mind, it’s complicated.” His enthusiasm slowly faded into a bit of frustration as he looked for the right words to explain his current situation without giving a stranger his life’s story, which he was sure she had no interest in. How exactly he was going to explain himself and answer all of the questions he knew he was bound to be asked upon returning was a puzzle he was still struggling with even after arriving. Ultimately however, he would just sigh deeply and give up trying to explain it to Ameryuu, instead moving the exchange along to something less stressful.

“It’s nice to meet you, Ameryuu,” he continued, trying his best to allow the amiable smile to return to his lips, “I was just asking if you were ok. I was walking by and I saw you there alone on the bench without so much as an umbrella to shield you from the weather. It made no sense to me that people were just passing by so casually. I figured something like that would usually draw more attention, but I guess if you’re ok that doesn’t matter. I’m glad.”

He paused for a moment to think about how curious the situation in which he found her really was, and his brow furrowed as his face contorted into a puzzled expression. “So…” he began hesitantly, carefully selecting the words to use as to not offend her or imply she were as strange as the circumstances would suggest, “Why exactly were you out here on this bench in the middle of a storm by yourself, if you don’t mind me asking. It’s not exactly a common sight. That’s why my initial reaction was that something must have been wrong. Especially without an umbrella or shelter to keep you dry. You’re already soaked. You’ll find yourself ill if you don’t get warmed up soon. I can’t imagine that is good for a job like yours.”

---

508 | 1107~

Ame waited for the young man to finish his introduction, taking in the information and reviewing it at the back of her mind for a moment. The little side comment of them both being 'ryuu' was amusing. She supposed that hers were not the only parents who had thought that naming their child ryuu would make them greater. It was a concept she'd never really understood, but it was her name, so she dealt with it. When he mentioned being new to Kumo but at the same time not, Ame was slightly confused. It proved that her memory was indeed not faulty and that she really hadn't seen Ryuusei before, but the fact that he was waffling a bit on the details left her endless curiosity yearning for answers. She wouldn't have minded sitting around and listening to a long, complicated story, if only it meant she understood. However, her upbringing didn't allow her to ask numerous invasive questions, however much she wanted to, so she left it at that. 

"Nice to meet you too, Ryuusei. I believe that people were just in too much of a rush to really notice anyone besides themselves. I don't blame them, in this weather." Living in a world such as this one, you got used to strange things fairly quickly. People walking past her daydreaming was nothing unusual really. She did do it rather often, after all. Ryuusei seemed to think for a moment, almost as if trying to find the words to describe something. Ame waited, a twinge of eagerness in her eyes. perhaps he would explain his past, and what he had meant by 'it's complicated'. Contrary to her prediction he simply asked her exactly what she had been doing, or rather why. Ame hummed softly, trying to find her own words to explain the situation.

"I enjoy the rain very much. It helps me think clearly. I guess I was just- thinking. As strange as that may be. I don't often worry myself about getting sick or cold." She never did. She considered what Ryuusei had said, and knew quite well that it was a bad idea to let herself be soaked in the rain as she had, but it was almost a habit of hers now. She liked the activity, and she didn't want something to stop her from doing it - even if that something was the threat of catching ill. "If I may, why are you outside in this weather, Ryuusei? The crowds were quite thick a little while ago." She imagined he had struggled through the throngs of people just as she had. It certainly wasn't the most pleasant experience one could go through.

---

Words: 465 ~ 1466

It wasn’t all that strange of a hobby to be honest. There were many people that enjoyed the sound, smell, and atmosphere of falling rain. Most people however, admired the rain comfortably from inside their home or the other side of a window. It was a curious decision to want to be out in the rain to enjoy it, especially if it is one’s own health that is being wagered. Ryuusei had never caught a cold himself, for one reason or another, but he didn’t imagine it a pleasant experience from observing others. If all else was equal, he would imagine it was always better not to be ill, but perhaps that was simply an opportunity cost Ameryuu was willing to pay.

“Me?” Ryuusei mirrored in response as he searched for the words in his mind to answer to question, “Just getting myself reacquainted with my old hometown. It’s been a long time since I’ve been back here. I guess I was just so anxious to go out and start exploring the place that I didn’t think too much about the rain or the crowds.”

Now that the crowds had dispersed a bit and he had a moment to think about the whole situation, the tourists really were an inconvenience. One which was only exacerbated by the poor weather. He was never much one for crowds to begin with. Too many people in a small place made him uncomfortable. Perhaps it was a product of his upbringing or his military training at the academy, but he was wary of too many uncontrollable variables in any given situation. It was always prudent to position oneself in such a way that you can exert as much influence and control in any given situation as possible. Otherwise you would always find yourself reacting to situations instead of being proactive, which he was taught might as well be suicide.

“I have to admit though,” Ryuusei continued, letting out an exhausted sigh, “As long as I’ve been wanting to return here, I could have waited a few more weeks if it meant that I avoided all of this traffic. It’s almost impossible to get anything done or take your time to enjoy everything with so many people around. Also, all people are talking about now are these Chunnin Exams that are coming up, which I’m sure will be entertaining, but I’m not really all that interested in the whole ordeal.”

The initial friendly smile Ryuusei showed would fade as his face returned to its usual, more austere expression, although his general demeanor would not change. “But I apologize for interrupting you,” he said, bowing his head for just a moment in her direction, “When I saw you sitting there in the rain, not moving I thought something might have been wrong. I didn’t mean to bother you while you were doing something that you enjoy. It’s a shame that I was the only person to bother to stop and check on you, but I’m glad you’re ok, at least.”

---

518 | 1625~

1500/1500: Ninjutsu D > C

Ameryuu nodded as Ryuusei explained himself. She supposed that if she had been away from home for many years she too would want to spend as much time exploring as possible. Then again, she had never really traveled before - much less for so long a period of time - so much of what she had to say on the matter was simple presumption. The thing about Kumo as that it could be a potentially confusing village if you weren't used to it. Streets had the habit of looking exactly like one another, especially in the frequent downpours. Ame herself had gotten herself lost a few times. True, most incidents were during her childhood but every now and again she would end up taking a wrong turn and have no idea where she was. Re-orientating herself was never really a problem, but being lost was not a very nice thing. "Oh. You haven't gotten yourself lost yet have you?" Her added laugh was good-natured.

His lack of interest in the Chuunin Exams surprised her. Most people were in Kumo for solely that reason, and even those who weren't were still at least mildly excited for the upcoming event. Ame herself had both a 'student' and good friend participating in the exams, so she held more than just a cursory interest in the goings-on. She had people to root for. Perhaps Ryuusei just didn't have anyone whom was participating in the exams to cheer for, and as such was not as eager as most. "You aren't looking forward to the exams? Most people are, so that's a bit of a different point of view than I'm used to." Of course for some the prospect of sitting in a large, loud crowd as genin fought one another tooth and nail wouldn't be the most appealing. To each their own.

Listening to Ryuusei's apology Ame was reminded of the times when she had been told she apologized too much. One particular memory brought a smile to her face. "Ah, no need for all the apologies. It seems you have the same habit of apologizing too much as I do." She unconsciously brushed a few strands behind her ear. "Thank you though, for checking on me. Better you than someone who would reprimand me." Ryuusei was far better than if someone such as her sensei were to find her. She could practically picture his mini lecture on how she was 'misrepresenting her country at their time of need', followed by rigorous training that would leave her half-drowned. Or even worse - her mother. A little shiver ran down her back at the thought. Had her mother found her... well she certainly wouldn't get the chance to see the exams.

---

Words: 466 ~ 1932

“Eh?” Ryuuseu muttered, surprised by the girl’s inquiry about whether he had gotten himself lost yet, “Me? Lost? No no, nothing like that.” He rubbed the nape of his neck nervously as he replied, a forced chuckle betraying the words he spoke. If he were being completely truthful, she would have been correct if her assumption was that he had indeed lost his way while traversing the streets of Kumogakure. Ryuusei had always thought himself one with a rather good sense of direction and able to pick up on things like directions rather quickly, and on a normal day he was sure he would have been just fine, but today was hardly what one could call a ‘normal day’.

Ryuusei imagined that even locals who had lived in Kumogakure every day their entire lives unlike him, would have had difficult navigating the streets during this time. If the weather was not enough of an inconvenience to hinder the navigation of the city, surely the enormous crowds and loads of tourists stopping in the middle of the sidewalks, blocking traffic to sight see, would have been sufficient. In his mind the reasoning was sound, and he could hardly be blamed for not being well-versed in the layout of the city after an eight year absence, but even so he felt too embarrassed at his mishaps to confess them to this person he had just met.

“Why would I have reprimanded you, though?” Ryuusei inquired as he changed the subject to respond to her other statements, “It may be a bit unorthodox, but I don’t see anything inherently wrong with enjoying the rain, although an umbrella wouldn’t hurt to keep dry.” He paused for a moment to ponder his own question, and his own personal experiences provided him with an idea of the situation before she even opened her mouth to respond. If he had to bet on it, he’d guess that her home life is rather strict. Perhaps there was some authoritarian figure like he had in his father that tended to look down on activities that weren’t duty-driven or training. If his father had ever caught him nonchalantly sitting on a bench daydreaming he’d likely never hear the end of it, and likely have to do some kind of penalty training as punishment.

“Don’t tell me that you have someone who takes their duties and job as a taskmaster too seriously too?” He continued with a smirk, “And their attitude gets pushed onto you whether you like it or not. Anything that you enjoy that isn’t about the family name or training they think is a waste of time and give you trouble about it because they just don’t seem to understand the concept of easing up on the reigns sometimes. Sound about right?”

---

475 | 2100~

Ame gave a knowing smile at Ryuusei's words. It was an obvious lie, but she wasn't one to press, and left the issue be. For some people even getting lost was a jab at their pride (if one were to stereotype then it was men in general). But, if he was looking for one place in particular that he just couldn't find, it would be good of her to help him in a roundabout way. "Was there any place in particular you were looking for then? Things have changed in Kumo over the past couple of years and the place might have moved."

He asked her a question, but before she had a chance to respond he summed up her situation, albeit almost opposite to the actual situation. Well, the 'anything you do is time wasting' thing was sort of true, but her mother's hatred stemmed so much from the 'family name' that she couldn't really classify her situation as something to do with clan honor. Yes, other members of her family would be more than happy to shout at her to train, but the authoritarian figure in her life would be far happier with Ame being weak enough to just die on a mission. She winced at that thought but laughed it off - albeit awkwardly.  It wasn't as if she was about to go and spill her entire sob story to him. Maybe when she was less seasoned she might have, but now she didn't even let people know her past if she considered them best friends, much less a stranger.

"In a way. You're rather close. I'm guessing you have such a figure in your own life to worry about?" It was the only way he could have guessed so closely to her own situation. People who grew up with happy families would not have picked that as a reason. Had Ryuusei been someone else, he probably would have asked if she had a concerned family who was just looking after her health. That would be the most obvious answer. Ame wondered if this authoritarian figure in his life had something to do with him being away from Kumo for many years. It wasn't unlikely. She didn't know what kind of political states other clans in the village may be in. Perhaps a feud with the Kage had led his family to leave? Ame realised that she was letting her imagination run away with her again and stopped, waiting instead for Ryuusei's answer.

---

Words: 427 ~ 2359

“Any place in particular I’m looking for?” he answered, surprised at the interest she seemed to take in his current situation, “Hmm, no, not that I can think of at the moment. I have only been back in town for a couple of days now and a good portion of that was spent getting settled in, so I haven’t had all that much time to bother with sightseeing or visiting old places out of nostalgia. I guess today I had some time and despite the weather I was just excited to get out and look around. Although, I was starting to wonder for a while if it wouldn’t have just been wiser to wait until all of these crowds blew over. As far as places I want to go? I guess it would be nice to see the academy again, but the last time I was home I was so young, it isn’t like there are all of these places I’m really emotionally attached to. It’s just good to be home.”

Ameryuu’s reaction to his comments about an overbearing authority figure were faint, but would not escape Ryuusei’s sharp eyes. Even if it only lasted a moment he had seen the look in her eyes that she attempted to mask with a smile and laugh. Although with only such a brief glimpse, it was difficult to read exactly what kind of reaction she had. Sadness maybe? But there seemed to be more than that there. It was not a defeated look. It was one that spoke of anger and resentment. It was the look of someone with a goal in mind, even if it was a secret goal. A goal that they had set to rectify the wrongdoings and injustices they felt were done to them or someone else. It was a dangerous look. Even more so because she wanted it hidden. People of strong conviction were like wildcards. The right (or wrong) push in any given direction could set the nature of their path in a completely different direction. This girl had intrigued him.

Returning her smile to her, Ryuusei would then take a seat on the bench opposite of her, leaving a good amount of room between them as to not be invasive in her personal space. “I guess I made it pretty obvious, huh?” He replied with a chuckle, “Yeah, that would be my father. I hope you don’t mind me taking a seat. I just figured since we’re having a conversation anyway, you know? So what about you? Who’s your evil step-mother?”

---

438 | 2538~

Ryuusei seemed to notice her small reaction to his words, however much Ame had tried to hide it. She didn't know if he would try and find out about what exactly had made her wince in the way that she did, but she didn't rule out the possibility. Had she been in his place she would already have been asking many a question, her curiosity never letting her sit idle when there was information she could find out and gather together. It just wasn't in her nature to turn away a mystery.When he answered her question she nodded in understanding. Her lack of a father didn't make it any less easy to see that others suffered from high expectations. It was obvious that that was exactly was Ryuusei was going through with his father. Perhaps he was a clan heir? It often happened that clan heirs cracked under the pressure being heaped on them. Things like duty and honour. She wouldn't be surprised if it was so. 

He sat down, carefully respecting her personal space. She silently commended him on it. A lot of people forgot that personal space even existed anymore, and it was nice to see another who valued it as she did. She wasn't the kind of 'push everyone and everything away' kind of person', but she valued being able to stretch without hitting someone in the face. Then the question to her came, and Ame smiled wryly. She knew that there were two ways of answering that question, but had the feeling that if she gave a bare bones answer Ryuusei wouldn't hesitate to just ask more questions. She had to decide between being court or giving a little more. Well, he was a stranger so she wasn't exactly eager to go through emotional upheaval for the sake of telling the truth. "My mother," she opted for 'give a little not a lot', " no 'step' about it." She said it all in a cheery tone of voice, hoping to hide the sadness she'd dredged up just by uttering those words. "Although, the 'evil-' is debatable." She laughed a little and decided to re-direct the conversation back to Ryuusei for the time being. "Are you a clan heir? I know they have to deal with a lot of pressure sometimes."

There were only so many people in Kumo she could ask about the matter, her own clan's heir disappearing a while back and herself being a simple branch family member. It wasn't as if she hadn't been pressured before but she suspected it wasn't quite the same thing, no matter how you viewed it.

---

Words: 452 ~ 2811

“Clan heir?” Ryuusei replied, pausing for a brief moment for how he could best explain the situation, “That’s…. ehh. It’s complicated. Sorry, I seem to be saying that a lot since my return to Kumogakure. I don’t really know what your clan situation is like, but with me I technically have to deal with two. One of them, on my mother’s side, resides in Kumogakure. Luckily that clan doesn’t really follow a dominant family hierarchy. The leaders of that clan are mostly elected and regardless of the circumstances of your birth, one is capable of ascending to prominence through personal merit. Although I suppose knowing the right people wouldn’t hurt. I don’t really have any interest in leading that clan though. I don’t even bear their name, just their blood.”

“My father’s side though…” the young man continued after taking a deep breath and sighing, “The clan name is Takeda. I wouldn’t be surprised if you had not heard it before. They are not of this village, or this country for that matter. They tend not to get too personally involved in matters of the shinobi world unless it becomes a threat. We hail from the Iron Country – a samurai clan. A noble one at that. My grandfather… ah maybe I’m saying too much. As far as being an heir… something like that. Although nothing within the world of the Iron country is really so simple. Even within the political ranks, the shogunate is very militaristic in nature. The samurai value their code and strength more so than they do any concept of inheritance. Even the shogun himself is appointed by the emperor, not born into his position. It results in even more of a reason for my father to be draconian with his demands and expectations. When you do bear a famous name, it is almost more important not to disgrace it than it is to honor it.”

Ryuusei was sure that Ameryuu wouldn’t be interested in the politics of it all. Having been thrust into it from a very young age, he had heard and given the explanation more times than he could remember and each time was as dreadfully tedious as the last. The only people that were truly interested were those who the system effected directly. There was no reason for him to bore her terribly with talks of politics. More so, it was always probably wise to not divulge the complete story of his family’s business within the Lightning Country. It was not yet his story to tell. Not yet, at least.

“That’s not the kind of question one gets very often though,” he noted, not bothering to hide the curiosity in his voice, “And a bit too specific to be a shot in the dark because of pressure. What made you ask that? Are you one yourself?”

---

487 | 3025~

1500/1500 Ninjutsu D>C
1500/1500 Bukijutsu D>C

Ame listened carefully to Ryuusei's explanation of his family situation. It was certainly interesting to hear that he was technically apart of two clans. Most clans in Kumo were rather purist, wanting only their blood to mixed with their own. Perhaps she was slightly biased, coming from the clan that she did, but on the occasions that her clan mixed with others it was never with a clan of equal power - at least from what she knew. Most of the time that happened only with political marriages. Marriage for money, something Ame had been very carefully avoiding over her lifetime. Her own parents had been lucky to have a marriage out of at the very least mutual affection, rather than the customary monetary exchange. 

She was interested in the way he explained his samurai clan, considering that her own was rooted in the way of the samurai. She could pick up little snippets of his explanation that actually did very well to deescribe aspects of her family, though others were the complete opposite of their ideals. Ryuusei seemed a bit on edge about calling himself anything akin to an heir. Ame could think of no reason why he wouldn't if he was, and decided that he was most likely just trying to explain it as best he could and that heir didn't really describe his actual position in his family. She wasn't the greatest fan of politics, but she supposed that it was a useful thing to, depending on how her future panned out. Who knew where life could take her. If it happened to be a politically demanding position, then knowing about such things now would surely benefit her in the future. 

He sounded openely curious when he asked why she had stated her query. Ame almost laughed at his question. Her? A clan heir? It was not something she'd ever wish for, nor something she'd ever get. "Ah, no. I'm no where near any kind of official or unofficial clan heir status. Just a simple little branch family member here. I was just curious when I asked you, I suppose. Being technical nobility is a far cry from what my life entails." She laughed "Though I don't think I'd want to be any sort of nobility. It must be a pain to make sure you aren't ever doing anything that could potentially cause uproar. I mean, I do have a clan name to avoid staining, but if I make a mistake people are able to overlook it." All withing reason of course. Some mistakes were a bit too large for anyone to overlook. Luckily she hadn't come upon a scenario such as that. Not yet.

---

Words: 458 ~ 3269

“Ah, I see,” Ryuusei answered to Ameryuu’s comment regarding how the pressure she felt was somewhat mitigated by the fact that her lower ranking within her clan allowed her to distance herself from the harsh glares of elders with high expectations, “That sounds like it must be a nice feeling. I can’t remember a time where my actions weren’t under a microscope. It’s not something you really think about though, to be honest. You can’t miss something you’ve never had, you know? I’ve never not had expectations, so the pressure is just kind of the norm for me. In all honesty, I don’t think it’s such a bad thing. Maybe when I was younger I resented being born into that position, but at this point it’s just a matter of playing the hand you’re dealt. I can’t say that it doesn’t come with its perks as well. I’ve certainly been given opportunities that I never have gotten otherwise. So I guess you just take the good with the bad, really.”

It wasn’t exactly the topic of conversation that the man had expected to come up with a complete stranger, it also wasn’t something Ryuusei was particularly averse to talking about. It was nice to have someone genuinely take an interest in what he had to say regarding his family situation. Back at the capital, the person that cared enough to ask him about himself and wasn’t out to get something out of him didn’t really exist. Everyone was far too concerned with status to be worthy of befriending back there. The person you might call your friend one day might turn around and cut you down from the back the next if presented with the right opportunity. Money wasn’t usually the motivation either. Everyone at that academy came from families with wealth. It was always more about social status and attaining that in any way possible. Those spoiled brats knew nothing of honor or duty, principles drilled into Ryuusei’s head from such an early age that it no longer even seemed optional, making him all the more glad to have been reassigned to Kumogakure.

“So what’s your story then, Ameryuu?” Ryuusei inquired teasingly, “In my experience most people claim that they would have preferred to be born into a position like that. They don’t even acknowledge the drawbacks because they believe the benefits to be so good. So what about you? No girlish dreams of being a princess in a castle, hoping to be swept off your feet by a knight in shining armor?” His words were made in jest, but he was curious to see if he would be getting more out of her story than her being “from a simple branch clan.” There was always more to tell in situations like these and for the curious mind like Ryuusei they were all stories worth hearing. “So what clan are you from anyway?” he continued, “I may have been gone a long time, but I still remember a good bit from when I was a kid. Some of the clans are still spoken of in the capital as well.”

---

542 | 3567~

Str E-0 > E-3: 450/450

“Ah, sorry. I’d love to stay and talk, but I forgot that I actually do have somewhere to be. See you around, Ameryuu.”

-Thread Closed`