Reaction, Part Two

The branch-family Jonin looked up. "Clan Head, then what do we..."

"Why panic?"

Hyuga Hiashi cut him off. "Send someone to the Uchiha Clan Compound. Ask that young Clan Head what he thinks."

The branch-family Jonin accepted the order and was about to leave when Hiashi called him back.

"Tell him," Hiashi said, looking out the window, "no matter how the Jonin Assembly turns out, the Hyuga and the Uchiha are tied to the same rope."

"If he pulls back, we pull back. If he moves forward, we move forward."

The branch-family Jonin clasped his hands. "Yes."

His footsteps faded down the corridor.

Hyuga Hiashi remained where he was, his fingers absently rubbing the edge of his sleeve.

He knew Uchiha En never fought a battle without preparing for it.

But this time, even Hiashi had no idea what to expect.

A letter of appointment from the Daimyo... Even the Third Hokage could not get around that.

The Inuzuka Clan Compound.

Bang!

Tsume Inuzuka slammed a palm onto the table, splashing tea from the bowl.

"Jiraiya? That old pervert who peeks into the women's Bathhouse, as Hokage?!"

"You've got to be kidding!"

The Ninja Dog beside her jolted in fright and whimpered as it retreated to a corner.

Hana Inuzuka stood nearby, her ears ringing from her mother's outburst. When the noise died down, she said:

"Mother, if the leadership dares to hold this meeting, they must be confident."

"Lord Jiraiya is one of the Sannin, after all... We need to think about what we'll do if things go badly."

"If things go badly?" Tsume planted her hands on her hips. "We're not backing down!"

"The Inuzuka Clan threw in with Uchiha En. If we shrink back now, how will we ever hold our heads up in this village