A/N: This stand-alone is a follow up to my story, 'Common Ground.' My long term goal is to write a multi-chapter story addressing the issues implied in that story. I'm still working out my approach but like to use stand-alones to provide some background. Feedback is welcome. See footnotes for explanations.

Mini-disclaimer: Councilwoman Chikako is my original character.

And I've totally given up on using Japanese honorifics. Otherwise, enjoy!

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TEN: Never laugh at anyone's dream. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

"I fear we may have underestimated you, Lady Hinata."

Startled, Hinata looked up from the book she was reading to regard the one speaking to her. Her eyes narrowed slightly in surprise. "Councilwoman Chikako. Forgive me; I'm afraid I do not understand your meaning."

The elder woman nodded thoughtfully but otherwise said nothing. Hinata wasn't sure what to make of her. In the few encounters she had with the elder, Hinata found the councilwoman to be very sharp intellectually if not a little enigmatic. She was very deliberate in her speech and refused to be rushed. A less savvy individual could easily underestimate her, Hinata realized long ago. Her father, at the very least, seemed to pay shrewd attention whenever the councilwoman chose to speak during a council meeting.

That she was receiving this particular woman's attention put Hinata on edge.

"I am referring to yesterday's council meeting," Chikako answered. "You gave Councilman Hiro quite a run with all your questions. One would think you were putting him on trial."

Hinata frowned at the choice of words. "T-That was not my intent. I merely thought his views were a little shortsighted. I m-merely sought clarification."

"You're stuttering less," the councilwoman commented abruptly.

It was atypically forward, as though the elder was intentionally trying to fluster her; to test her. Hinata blushed and looked at the elder expecting to see a teasing or condescending expression but instead the elder woman looked earnest in her remark.

"I've—been practicing," the young woman said quietly.

"Of course. What are you reading?"

Hinata pursed her lips. "A book from the library."

The councilwoman smiled slowly. "I see that. Do books from the library still have titles or am I woefully out of date."

Hinata, out of habit, blushed at the slight rebuke. She took a breath before she answered. "It is a book of essays from the West. I'm currently reading 'On Liberty[1]."

"Ahhh," the Councilwoman hummed sagely, "I'm starting to understand the root of your questions and why you're reluctant to share this information. That essay is full of radical ideas."

Hinata closed the book and rose from her seat, facing the councilwoman. "You are familiar with it?"

"Yes. Read it myself when I was around your age. At night so my father would not find out. You are quite bold to read it so openly."

"A-Are you going to tell my father?"

"I do not know yet," the elder answered honestly. "Will you tell me what prompted you to read that particular essay?"

Hinata hesitated, unsure of the woman's motive. "While I was on a mission, I heard a parable that I cannot stop thinking about."

"That is interesting," Chikako said, sitting in the seat Hinata just left. She opened the book and started flipping through the pages. "Would you mind sharing it?"

Hinata wavered for a moment before she began, deciding she really had nothing to lose at this point. "It was about two men, one old and one young, walking along a riverside. Suddenly, the young one sees a baby floating down the river. He rushes into the water and grabs the baby but turns around and sees another baby floating down the river. He panics and grabs that baby but finds more and more babies floating down the river. Frantically, he is grabbing as many babies as he can and bringing them back to shore but the babies just keep coming down the river and he can't save them all. The old man, who was helping, stops and starts walking upstream. The young man calls to him, "Stop! What are you doing? I need your help!" The old man looks at the young man and says, "You keep doing the best you can down here. I'm going to see whose throwing babies in river[2].""

Chikako smiled as the young woman concluded her story, nodding her head in a kind of approval. "And what have you taken away from this parable, Lady Hinata?"

The young heiress brought her hand to her chest, clutching it with determination. She looked at the councilwoman with a strong resolve. "I decided that if I really want to make a difference in this clan, I'll have to walk upstream."

Chikako studied the young woman for a moment and was pleased to see the heiress not advert her gaze. 'She's serious. It appears we may have underestimated Hiashi back then as well. '

Satisfied, the old woman stood and pulled two books from the purse she carried with her and set them on the table. "I'll leave you to your work, Lady Hinata."

"What are these?" the bewildered girl asked as the old woman walked away.

"Some reading material I thought you may find of interest," the old woman answered simply. She glanced over her shoulder as she continued walking, "Think of them as…guides."

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Footnotes:

1 A philosophical work by British philosopher, John Stuart Mill, published in 1859. It was a radical work to the Victorian readers of the time because it supported individuals' moral and economic freedom from the state.

2 'The Parable of the River' or 'River Babies' is a parable told in many different variations in reference to the distinction between the acts of social charity vs. social justice.