Hiroko stood impatiently on the stage while her father, the Emperor of Ninjago, finished his speech, growing increasingly bored. In the crowd, she spotted reporters recording the speech, as well as making crude remarks on the royal family's lack of public appearances. There were also, she noticed, some of Ninjago's most powerful people: business owners, lawyers, and the like. She was sure they would all swarm the palace once the event was over, trying to get answers or a business contact. A group caught her eye: the ninja. She pondered over what they were doing; surely, they had somewhere else to be, some petty crime to stop. She was sure that they wouldn't be spending their time listening to the Emperor's speech, unless they doubted her father as the Emperor. She internally smirked. Her father was a fitting emperor. Maybe not the best father, but he tried. He just wasn't the most attentive to Hiroko and her older sister, Harumi, Ninjago's two princesses. But for that matter, neither was her mother. Both their parents were absorbed in the happenings of Ninjago, often not talking to Hiroko and Harumi until the family dinner, and some nights, not even then. On the bright side, this left Hiroko and Harumi to their own devices, so the two princesses usually did whatever they wanted, as long as they were doing their daily lessons and whatnot.
"But if the ninja were not here because they doubted her parents' abilities, what were they here for?" Hiroko silently wondered. And maybe it was just paranoia talking, but her mind immediately went to the possibility of an attack. Her parents had been talking about the risks of one, but it was unlikely in such a crowded place. Either way, her mind was on alert, scanning the crowd for any possible threats. Just then, a loud popping sounded. Hiroko stepped backwards, moving her hands behind her back and conjuring her power of darkness. She saw the green ninja cover her family, but it was pointless. She realized that the noise was just firecrackers.
Nevertheless, the ninja still got invited inside "for protecting the Royal Family," Hiroko thought, rolling her eyes as she walked past the palace gates. The fact that they had guests didn't matter much, she assured herself. She'd just have to stay in character for a bit longer.
As Harumi made introductions, Hiroko stalked off. The procedure itself was boring enough, and the mandatory politeness only made it worse. She wondered how her parents could stand it. She used to be able to talk to Harumi about it, but now, Harumi was becoming increasingly more like their parents. Hiroko went to her room and changed from the uncomfortable gown to her usual shift and leggings, green with her family's colors, but more black than her parents and Rumi wore.
As she was walking to the Grand Hall for dinner, she walked past the ninja, and one of them had made a huge mess in the hallway tossing books around. She smirked and walked up to them.
"Looking for secret passages?" she asked, "Well you're not going to find any that way."
"Think you can do any better?" snarled the red one. Hot-headed, just like Harumi said.
"As a matter of fact, I can."
"Why don't you shows us then?"
"Just because I am a princess," said Hiroko coldly, "does not mean that I am a naive little girl who will reveal any of my home's secrets." Hiroko stalked away to the Grand Hall, annoyed at her sister for allowing the ninja to come into their home in the first place. Harumi, with one look at her sister's face, guessed what happened.
"They're not so bad, Hiro," Harumi said placidly.
Hiroko just snorted and stormed to her room.