Shin looked up to see Akaya's baffled expression. Akaya allowed Akira to fold into her shadow once again. She was a splitting image of her mother. He kept walking up the stairs toward his daughter, and for once, he wasn't sure what to say. "Thank you." He touched her shoulder lightly and admiringly pulled her ponytail over the shoulder with his free hand. "That could have been a complete disaster."

Akaya gripped the top of Shin;s hand curiously. They were silky smooth which slightly surprised her. They felt like hers did. "How long have you known, Shin?" Her voice was timid and quiet, and she could not wrap her mind around her latest discovery. "Why weren't you there?"

Shin exhaled heavily. It was a question that he had asked himself several times. The real answer was not as black and white as the demon wanted it to be. He wanted his answer to be simple and logical, but it wasn't. He didn't really have a valid excuse. Shin, for the first time since meeting his daughter, embraced her in his arms. A hug was the only option he deemed appropriate. "Because I was an idiot."

The confused half-demon chuckled lightly as she hugged Shin back. The situation was bittersweet. With everything falling apart around her, she had finally found an answer she had been searching for since she first entered Konoha's academy. Relief overcame her. "No kidding."

Pulling out of the hug, Akaya gave her attention to the other family moment that was not so relieving. Blood soaked Tajek's kunai, and it dripped slowly off the tip. The Hokage was short of breath and his nephew looked down at him, realizing the fatal result of his split-second decision. Much unlike everyone expected, Hokage Lodant spoke steadily and without hesitation. "I always thought you took after your mother all these years," He coughed, spewing blood on the collar of his shirt. "But now I see nothing but your father in you. Funny, right?"

It was a depressing scene for Akaya to watch, but she knew she couldn't interfere this time. No one could fight this battle for Tajek; he had to face this event alone. She observed her love's body language and facial expressions. He was doing relatively well, given the circumstances.

Tajek retorted coldly. "It's funny how you could easily betray your own brother. The Montair bloodline ran between both of you."

"You're right, Tajek," Lodant closed his eyes, and his voice went into a quiver. "Your father is a greater man than I could ever be. But one of his own started this. It was an insider's attack."

Live with honor. That was the main component of the unwritten Shinobi code. Tajek's uncle may not have lived by that code, but he died by it. Lodant Montair gave the rest of them vital information in this upcoming war.

The last Montair turned around to see Akaya walking slowly down the stairs toward him. How come it took him this long to realize his father was completely right about her.

Tajek sat on the oversized wooden bench outside his father's office. His impatience was growing and his nerves were creating scenarios in his head as to why Danter had called him here under official Shinobi protocols. After the fiasco in the sewers, there was no way that this meeting was for a good reason. As his thoughts raced, Tajek started tapping his foot without thinking.

As the huge double doors creaked open, Tajek shot up to only meet his father's rarely stood at the same time, but when they did, it was evident that Tajek was getting taller everyday. Soon, he'd surpass Danter's height, which made the Hokage smile. "You know, son, your poker face is horrible." Danter motioned his son into the Hokage's office. "You need to know on that if you want to be a good Shinobi."

Tajek nodded as he entered the massive office. He walked toward the window that overlooked the village, but as amazing the view was, it did not settle his nerves. "So what did you want to talk about?"

Hokage Danter placed his hand on Tajek's shoulder. "Great view, right?" He laughed with a hearty nature. "Guess that's one advantage to having to deal with non-stop paperwork."

"I know you're mad, dad." Tajek spoke calmly. and evenly, disguising his fit of panic. "There's tons of damage to the sewers, virtually no threat down there and the hospital bills to cover for a genin."

Danter sighed. "Which one got hurt?"

Tajek looked out to the village streets, trying to get her smile out of his head. Unluckily, she was walking the streets, her arm in a sling. "Akaya did."

"Oh, she's a tough one out of the bunch. She'll be fine." Danter released his grip on his son's shoulder and directed his attention to the mission's assignments lying on his desk. The escort mission needed genin still. He tossed the file to Tajek who easily caught it. "So how about a visit to the Waterfalls?"

Without meaning to, Tajek smirked. He loved the waterfalls and they were especially beautiful this time of year. At that thought, visions of Akaya's curves and flowing brunette hair caused Tajek to blush, and he hurriedly pushed the thoughts aside. It wouldn't work, not with Shinobi missions like this one in the way. "Sure. I'll go, but who do you plan on sending with me?"

In true Montair fashion, Danter smirked. "I wanted Santair to go with you because of his stealth expertise," He paused, allowing Tajek to hang on his words. "And Akaya will be going as well. She has a level of compassion and intelligence you'll need when dealing with a child."

The color drained from Tajek's face. "Then I can't go."

Danter just smiled at his genin. "I see that mission did damage to more than just the sewers. You let her in, didn't you?"

To anyone else, that would sound like a weird question to ask, but between the two of them, they had an understanding of what "let her in" meant. As Shinobi, it was difficult to get an honest woman to match up with Montairs, and although Tajek was still relatively young, he knew that principle well enough to shut any girl out that ever advanced on him. They were after him for something other than Tajek; however, Akaya never even talked to him much before the sewer mission. She was flirty with him or not in the typical way. She protected him and helped him complete what he needed to do. She was different.

"I'm not sure." Tajek shook his head as he spotted her on the streets below, laughing at something Amaya must have said to her. "Maybe."

Danter collapsed in his desk chair. He spun it around to face Tajek's back. It was funny how it seemed like only days ago that Tajek could barely see over the windowsill. Now, he was falling for a girl. "Only one way to know for sure."

When Tajek turned around, he noticed his father pointing at the file Tajek was holding. The young ninja yawned and handed it back to the Hokage. "When do we leave?"

"That's the spirit!" Danter's vocal chords were loud and enthusiastic. Tajek had actually motivated himself to take some action in his life. "You and your team leave two weeks from today."

Tajek nodded. No sense in fighting it. He'd have to confront her sooner or later so why not sooner? He turned around toward the huge double doors as his father tried to reassure him. "You saved her life, ya know? The cement would have cracked her neck like a twig. Akaya seems like she won't forget that favor."

As the genin turned the knob, the Hokage left one sticking message in Tajek's mind. "Sometimes, Shinobi relationships work out, kiddo. They'll see the strengths and weaknesses on the missions. They'll witness each other doing heinous, murderous things, but it will be second nature. Shinobi couples stand by each other, protect each other, and thrive off each other."

Danter paused to get a response from Tajek, but none came. He somewhat expected that. "I know you don't completely believe me, but if you want proof that one can work, just look in the mirror and around you. Your mother and I worked through Shinobi ranks together."

And with that Tajek slipped through the doors and closed it softly. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, controlling his breath. Akaya wasn't who we wanted to fall for. She was stubborn, excitable, a true Shinobi, and above all, she was beautiful.

He shook his head violently but realized he was shit out of luck; he would be following in his father's footsteps forever.

Sesoni watched Aicirret as she sat down on the bench in the hallway right outside her assigned room. She looked down at her feet that barely touched the floor. Sesoni always forgot that his niece was still a young demon: just a mere child. Aicirret looked up at her uncle with a serious look on her face. Whatever she was thinking of in her head was troubling her. "I don't think I'll ever get humans."

It was difficult for a demon to see much logic in human's ways, let alone try to explain reasoning. Demons were, for the most part, level-headed and prided themselves on logical decisions. Sesoni sighed as he sat next to youngest member of the small alliance. He outstretched his arm on the back of the bench and crossed one leg over the other. "I'm sure they feel the same way about us. It's hard to tell you how humans function because I'm not one myself."

Aicirret eyes Sesoni and started to relax her fixed posture. "That's not what I meant."She looked out the window in front of her. It was raining, and the sound of water droplets hitting the windowpane was oddly relaxing to her. "I think they love too much."

Sesoni could not deny it or defend it. The simple fact of the matter was that humans and demons loved in different ways. Demons were protective but didn't show much affection unless it was behind closed doors while humans' relationships varied from interaction to interaction. Some human couples were openly passionate while others were reserved. They could care too much on the battlefield or enhance each others' abilities. And as Sesoni looked at Aicirret, he wasn't sure how to respond. There was a longing in his niece's eye that knew far too well. Wanting things you'd never have was a daily occurrence for any demon. Toku was Sesoni's reminder of what could happen when you break fates' rules. "They do love, but I personally don't think anyone can love too much."

Puzzled, Aicirret closed her eyes and sunk deeper into relaxation on the bench. "But someone can love too little, can't they?" She judged by his expressions that he wouldn't respond. With Sesoni, she was better off respecting his silence than pushing him to answer. "That's so lame."

In some instances, Aicirret was truly a child. They all forgot that about her. How could a little demon girl grasp the concept of true love. Sesoni laughed, "I guess it is."