"I'd love to keep a canary," Hashirama sighed, his face pinched with pain at the expense. "But do you know how much those things cost? I only just paid you back eight hundred thousand ryo yesterday. Where would I find spare money to pamper some precious bird?"
"Hold it!" Hibari quickly raised a hand. "Grandma Mito gave me that money. It had nothing to do with you, so don't put it on your tab."
Seeing the old man and the boy about to start bickering again, Tobirama smiled and shook his head.
"Enough," he interrupted. "Can you two settle down for a moment? Hibari, you're dressed so neatly this early in the morning. Where are you off to?"
At Tobirama's question, Hibari immediately grew more serious.
"Reporting to Lord Hokage," he replied, straightening up. "I was about to find a new member for our squad."
"A new member?" Tobirama's brow shifted slightly. "Who did you have in mind?"
Hibari grinned, a hint of mischief tugging at his lips.
"Considering the village's current situation, and what you're planning next, Second Grandpa... I think recruiting Kagami Uchiha of the Uchiha Clan into the Anbu would be a good fit. What do you think?"
Tobirama raised an eyebrow at that and studied Hibari for a couple of seconds.
"You little rascal," he said, his tone somewhere between praise and criticism. "You're getting better and better at playing the angles. That isn't entirely a good thing."
"Good, bad, whatever." Hibari waved a careless hand. "It depends on who I'm dealing with, doesn't it? Being a little diplomatic around you and Grandpa helps me get things done.
"With anyone else? Why would I bother? I'm the young master of the Senju Clan. They should be the ones dancing around me."
He wasn't wrong. Tobirama had