Violetta POV

I had nervously led everyone to my home, trying to ignore the fact that unlike Akamaru the other ninken were very large and very obviously wolf-like, Neji had already been before and so he kept pace by my side. Shooting looks back at Hinata to make sure she kept up and looks back at Kiba as is daring him to try anything while he was standing there. He might not like me very much, but I'm pretty sure in his head the only one allowed to give me hell was him. Ugh, boys. However, my hope that no one would comment on the area of town I lived in was short lived. Goddamn Kiba.

"So, the waste of space lives in the bullshit district. It's a wonder they let someone like you even enter the academy let alone graduate. The people here are nothing but liars, thieves, criminals, and scum. A bunch of wannabe samurai-" Neji stopped dead in his tracks and lifted Kiba right off the ground by the collar of his shirt.

"Watch yourself Inuzuka, you're wearing on my patience." Dropping Kiba unceremoniously Neji continues walking and for a second I forget to follow.

The rest of the walk is mostly uneventful, a few women and young girls stop Mai to admire her baby and gift her with things, and a few boys gift Hana, Hinata, and Tsume with trinkets as they are not as obviously taken as Mai is. Two of the girls our age gets especially brazen and one gifts Shino with her hair ribbon, while the other gifts Neji hers. Oh goody, their faces when we get to the house and they want me to explain these things are gonna be great.

My mother throws the door open as soon as we enter the gate, and ushers us all into the backyard. Giving Neji a hug first, and reminiscing on how long it's been since she's seen him. She follows quickly with everyone else and how wonderful it is, bowing politely to the clan heads, and to Tsume's surprise her ninken. Asking his name and the others politely, Kuromaru seems extremely pleased at his recognition as my mother gets everyone seated.

"Name's Kuromaru. You raised a good pup, she tell you what she did today?" My mother tips her head, as she sees my brother, grandfather, and Mikari enter the backyard to take their seats as well.

"Oh thank you very much, and all she told me she trained with team eight and got injured, but she was fairly vague. Why do you ask?"

"First thing Akamaru did when I saw 'im was tell me how she took two kunai to keep him and Shino from gettin' hurt. One in the shoulder an' one in the hip. Good thing he did too cause I was goin' to scold him for runnin' off from the runt, but he said he just wanted to make sure she didn' hurt herself no more in she already had. Something about how she doesn't know when to quit." My mother laughed loudly as she passed the dishes around the table.

"No, she doesn't, I'm afraid she gets that from me. However, she gets the rest of her personality from her father. Rest his soul. You know she didn't get it from me. Takes things far too seriously for that. Now, Mai-san, I see you have a little girl! How wonderful, and I also see you received all of the customary gifts on your way in."

Mai-san smiles and nods, some of the trinkets still being worn and others tucked away in her pockets.

"Yes, it was quite odd. The people here are very kind, I can't believe I haven't visited before. Although, I don't believe I'm the only one who received gifts." My mother gives me expectant look, that clearly says that I should explain everything to everyone for her.

"Hai, when a woman has a daughter it is hailed as a great accomplishment in our clan as we are very matriarchal. It is seen as a rite of passage to bear a child at all, but it is seen as a privilege to be gifted a daughter. We give gifts that are considered sacred and promote life, happiness, well being, and strength. We give similar gifts as well as others to boys before they leave at ten to begin traveling duties, and to girls when they come of age at thirteen, and to both when they go through events of importance. Such as mastering the sixth level and twelfth level of swordsmanship, or get married, or accomplish a great task. Such as when I graduated the academy. The rest of you ladies received gifts from boys your age, and younger too, they gift them to women, or men, that they see may not have a partner. They symbolize both their recognition of your strength of mind and spirit, but also that wish you the best. In some cases, such as Hinata and Hana's it is also a subtle gesture that if the right gift is given can be considered a courtship offer, which you both received. However, men in the Watanabe clan typically wait for the woman to confirm her interest before attempting to formally court her. Unless you're like my brother. Shino and Neji were given hair ribbons from two girls our age, which is how a Watanabe girl expresses interest in a boy when she is either not of age or he is not of our clan. So basically, Mai was given gifts that show she and her daughter have the support of our clan if they should need it, and the rest of you got flirted with."

Everyone nods thoughtfully, but Shino and Neji look shell-shocked while Hinata is very red and Hana looks smug. Tsume breaks the silence first.

"So... Why didn't Shibi get anything?"

"Ah, because he is considered to already have been given the greatest gifts the universe can offer him. A strong person who is his true love, and strong little girl to carry on the heart of his true love for years to come. There's nothing they could give him in their eyes that could compare, and of course, the ninken weren't gifted anything as we believe all animal companions to be sacred in their own right and believe our mortal gifts could never compare to the life the universe has blessed them with."

Tsume looks a bit shellshocked at that also but grins and looks at Kuromaru. "Hear that? You're sacred! Ha!" She grins again and turns to me, "So why didn't Kiba get anything from any of the young ladies, eh? And who was the young man that flirted with Hana, she definitely needs a man." I look at my mother for help at this point, but she and grandfather are busy talking to the Aburame's and Hyuga's about clan affairs and intervillage trade situations. While Hana and Kiba are both focused on me, although Kiba is definitely focused in a bad way.

"Well... I imagine that has to do with the fact that news spreads quickly here. After what he said I'm surprised he wasn't challenged to an honor duel, they probably recognized Neji as someone I've come by with before and figured that his actions on my behalf were just enough for a first offense. And that was one of the clan heads sons, leaf clan head, not the high clan head, adopted, of course, she's married to a wonderful woman from the Akimichi clan. He's one of the highest level swordsmen in the clan, he's even better than most of the women. He's nearly nineteen, which is a bit old for him not to be married, but my brother, who is right there and lost in his girlfriend's eyes is twenty-three and just got engaged so... He's not doing that bad if you look at it that way." At the word engaged my brother and Mikari snap their heads towards me and their jaws drop, and the entire table goes silent.

"Vee, you weren't supposed to know that! I just proposed today!" Shrugging my shoulders I shoot my brother a grin.

"Hey, not my fault she's wearing the ring on her hand right now. I'm a lot of things, but blind is not one of them big brother. Besides, you've been mailing me about what ring you should get for her traditions and what swords would go well with it for ours. You're welcome by the way Mikari, he almost went with amber." Pretty soon the whole table, minus Shibi, Shino, and Neji, is laughing at that. Congratulating my brother and Mikari, and at the end of the night, I feel like Kiba wants to murder me a little less. He even tells Akamaru he can stay the night if he wants, which he does.

My mother sends everyone on their way with an invitation, and gives Neji the rest of Team Gai's, making him promise to deliver them.

These next three weeks are going to be amazing, and I can't wait.