Open Meeting a man's worst enemy....

With her eyes closed, Shizu took a sip of her tea, her lips touching the rim of the tea cup before setting it down on the table below. When her head perked up ever so slightly, she made a friendly stare at Kei with a smile. "I'm sure our girls will appreciate it. It's not very often one compliments them~" Picking up her tea cup again, Shizu eyed Seto from the corner of one eye. Hearing her voice aimed towards him, he froze momentarily in place. He rose an eyebrow before tilting his head in her direction, a skewer in hand, now void of any delicious meat that was once there. "What? Don't look at me like that. I always show gratitude." He than turned away, tilting his head ever so slightly in the opposite direction. For a few moments, there was only silence. "Ok, look...we both know I was....different when I was Kei's age. Lets not try and mix up the two shall we?" After a few more moments, he returned to his regular posture before he placed down the skewer on one of the empty plates littering the table. He made a heavy sigh, with air escaping his lips before he turned back to the long table sitting before him, it still containing a large amount of food. He thought to dig in more, given his stomach was still reeling in to go. "Believe me, I'm thankful for any kind of real food nowadays, especially after fighting that Daiyoukai~" With a faint smirk now formed on his face, he nearly began drooling once again before composing himself. He had to remain an adult figure to some extent while Kei was present, even If he couldn't compete with Shizu in the room with them. Speaking of Kei, with his apprentice now on his mind, he tilted his head over his shoulder and peered over at him, who was clearly comfortable just as much as he was satisfied. He wondered IF he was still hungry, but than he remembered he was still growing like himself. A man gotta eat right? "Someone looks satisfied. Well, feel free to dig in if you want more. Don't wanna it goto waste do we?~" With a soft chuckle, he kept his sight on Kei for brief moment later before he turned his attention to the Kitsunes. Izumai was still eating from the same bowel of rice, and so was Azumai with her cake....or was it the second one? He was gonna raise a eyebrow again, but he knew better given her need for sugar...​

Relaxed in contentment now, he found a small smirk forming on his face at his apprentice's words, having found himself somewhat amused by them. "Ooh? Is that right? Well, just wait until we start our combat training~" His eyes momentarily glanced in her direction. The massive cat lady that was both his mentor and bodyguard, was now laying on the ground, up against the wall behind her while the tip of her boots sat on the edge of the long table, with a bottle in hand, surrounded by several littering the ground. This woman truly did have a liver of steel. He quickly reverted his attention to Kei, one of his eyes laying on his form from the edge of it's socket. "I may not be Sunako, but I 'm certainly not going to go easy on you." His tone had turned serious, and it remained that way for a few more lingering moments, before he turned himself loosening up again. "Or If your really unlucky, I may just drag you out to the battlefield~" He chuckled softly, clearly amused, and he was. "Trust me Kei. When your out there fighting for your life...or facing down a menace in training, you work up a appetite faster than you know....And If your far enough away from home for long enough, well...lets just say no meal will survive your assault on it~" With another soft chuckle escaping his lips, he reached for a tea cup that had survived Sunako's prior assault on the long table and poured himself some tea, before holding it both in his hands, not wanting to drop it. That's when he heard a high pitch sigh escape from Shizu. Before he could peer over his shoulder, ever curious, even If it was only his instincts telling him otherwise, he felt a strong ping in his stomach as she spoke. "If you had only spared that much energy on training, as much as you chased after me, just imagine how much stronger you would have become dear~"" Shizu's words cut him deep, even If he knew she was only teasing, and meant nothing by it. His face turned a very slight shade of red, before he closed his eyes. He went silent, refusing to give his wife to be the satisfaction she desired. While she was right....from a certain perspective, she knew she was also wrong, having been a hopeless romantic herself, not that Kei would know that. He than drank some of his tea in silence...

At the mention of wanting a job for some extra money however, the mischievous fox beat the two Samurai at the punch, her tails sprucing up like a predator who had just corned their prey, her tiny frame coming within inches of his, that smirk on her face..."Oooh I could use some help Kei, or are you going to let a beautiful, young woman and her young daughter live in ruins? That wouldn't be so honorable now would it? Turning away those in need...Fufu~" With her finger pointed, she pressed the tip at his chest, keeping her mischievous glare as she stared him down, challenging him to say no. Hearing the kitsune speak, his eyes remained shut, still in discomfort, and Izumai wasn't making it any easier. "For once......she's not wrong..The Otomo Great Shrine is in dire need of hands...and...well.....it's probably still in needs of repairs....being in partial ruins....." His cheeks remained a ever slight shade of red, knowing full well of the situation at hand, knowing that accepting Izumai's offer was a death wish most likely, BUT If he managed to keep himself intact, or better, thrive there, he knew Kei could become strong, quite stronger than than any normal Genin in the village. Still, he wasn't going to throw him off the deep end. That would have to be a decision he would have to make on his own. At the same time, Shizu had been listening while she joined her husband to be in enjoying her tea. Her eyes too were shut during the duration until a few seconds after Seto had finished speaking. When her eyes reappeared, revealing her amethst like eyes, she tilted her head towards Kei's, her hands still holding her nearly empty cup."I'm sure we can find a place for you Kei. After all, the keep and our village are busy all year long. Me and Lady Reina, as well as the village elders, are always on the hunt for capable hands.....Although...." Shizu takes the last mouthful of her tea before finishing it. "I will admit....Lady Izumai here...could use your assistance, whether that be in the aid of restoring such a sacred temple, or simply performing duties as described for capable hands." Shizu than rose a eyebrow, curious on what he would choose, or choose at all. Seto himself, expected his Genin apprentice to run for the hills at the thought of being trapped with Izumai without protection, metaphorically and literally, unless It was for Azumai, but that rose more questions than he was ready to think about, especially since the two were still just children, not even juveniles like him and Shizu.

But....just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, from the edge of his eyes, he saw two fox ears twitch. Before he could even look in surprise, his mind still reeling, needing time to process what just occurred, he first heard the sound of two chop sticks hitting the plate underneath, triggering a loud "clank" like noise, than another as one of the cousins near him flew into the air before slamming against the wall. Before he even knew what was happening, he found Azumai positively glued to Kei's right arm, her eyes engulfed in what he could only describe as stars as she began tugging for attention, her tails wagging back and fourth, showing clear excitement. "Kei! Kei! Did you hear that? We could be friends?! We could train together...and you could help out Mama fix up our home! Doesn't it sound perfect???! I'm so excited!!!" Between watching his daughter erupt in excitement, and witnessing the new chaos seed be planted, he found himself turning away yet again, a modest groan escaping him, unable to hide the fact that this little charade had just sentenced his apprentice to death. There was no way, he be able to save him, let alone watch over him, not while he was in her home court. He wanted to speak, but his lips went dry. There was nothing he could say or do to save his Genin from the chaos he was going to enter, knowing his nature by now....though honestly, seeing his daughter act in such a way, apart of himself wondered If his daughter was part dog sometimes.....


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After witnessing the fold of something new, a new chapter of chaos, he closed his eyes and smiled slightly, sighing just above a whisper with a "Hmph". He wasn't sure why, considering he already knew full well what would happen, but he saw this as a opportunity for growth for his apprentice, whether he knew it or not. He would be tested in ways his mind couldn't even comprehend at this age. He would know, he underwent the same thing at his age. Peering his attention back to the remaining food still on the table, still a considerable amount, with his chopsticks in hand, he plopped piece of steak into his mouth, relishing it's juicy flavor. Whether It was his paranoia or something else, he kept one eye of Kei, just in case. After all, he did have two loli kitsunes seemingly fighting for his attention, which in some wicked way perhaps, was kinda cute, despite the danger the two posed. Watching the three made him ponder on just how long he would last. Kei had shown optimism as usual, but he knew that would only get him so far, even If he was somewhat envious of his enthusiasm, remaining him of himself at his age before the battle that changed his life forever. With with all that positive thinking, he couldn't help but say "Good luck Kei, your gonna need it~" in his mind. He really hoped Kei knew what he was getting himself into, even If the fox's were being somewhat truthful. His line of thought was broken however, when he heard Shizu speak up. Looking over towards her, he could see her smiling, clearing returning Kei's intention with a warm smile, her purple eyes beaming down on his smaller frame. "A most honorable declaration, Kei, but I wouldn't expect anything less from my beloved's apprentice." Shizu than sighed happily, closing her eyes. "If only more men understood what true sacrifice looked like~" Taken back ever so slightly by her words, he blinked twice at her. Was she talking about him? He understood more than anybody what sacrifices she made for him and especially the clan. It wasn't as If he took her for granted now....

Hoping she meant men in general, nothing was stopping from Azumai from continuing her assault on Kei, her hands still rocking his arms, as If trying to keep his attention on her. Was she? No, she too young for that. He wasn't sure since she was a Kami and not human. If her radical swerving tails flocking in all directions was any indication, she was still, at the very least, still excited. "Yay! Were gonna have so much fun! You see!" Her eyes steaming with stars, It was pretty clear Azumai couldn't wait for Kei to become a regular at the shrine. That would make him the shrine's second visitor in a thousand years, or whenever IT was destroyed, he couldn't remember. "Hmm, a most wise answer Kei, and so generous~ Do not worry, I'll take care of you~ No man has ever turned down my hospitality. You feet right at home Kei~ Fufufu~" Watching her pur like the sly fox she was, honey dressing her words with charm, and her tails, slivering up Kei's legs and one free arm like a snake, like some predator who's caught their prey, caressing it's skin before the final strike being made, he wanted to vomit on the inside, but Kei made his decision. There wasn't much he could do....well, at least not without making a scene....and becoming her next victim......​