Chapter 36: Grand Opportunity

"Are you going to be alright heading off on your own?" asked Kazuki.

"Yeah, dad must have headed back early but I'll be fine getting home." Replied Keitaro as he waved good by to the father son duo. 

They had returned to the facility as they had finished training, and while Kuma would have usually waited to pick up Keitaro once they were finished with training, today it seemed that he had left for home already without him. Keitaro was slightly concerned, but he was also sure that something serious must have happened for his dad to head home without saying anything to him. If anything, he should hurry on home just in case.

"Well alright, if your sure then your free to go. Just don't forget to do some basic stretches when you get home if you don't want to feel like utter crap tomorrow. You still have your duties at the lab to fulfil afterall." With his final words, Kazuki and Renji both turned and started heading home.

With a final wave to Renji and Kazuki, Keitaro sprinted down the street and made his way to his home. Unsurprisingly he was able to see that there were a few lights already on in the house and he wasn't surprised to find both his father and older brother at the kitchen table waiting for him once he entered the house.

"I'm home!" Keitaro shouted as he hurriedly ran into the house. The temperatures where dropping and it wouldn't be long till the village was covered in snow. He'd have to bring his coat with him when he left home soon enough.

"Welcome home little bro, you got here just in time, the tables already set." Kentaro hollered from the kitchen. 

Keitaro, who at this point was quite famished, hurriedly washed his hands at the kitchen sink before squeezing into his seat at the table that had already been set up.

"Indeed its good that you got in safely, but did you have to wash your hands at the kitchen sink?" Kuma, who didn't look to pleased at Keitaro's antics, simply sighed and pushed a bowl of meat toward him.

"Thank you for the meal dad, I was worried when I didn't see when I got back from training, but I'm glad you took care of dinner." Keitaro didn't waste much time and immediately started chowing down.

"You should be thanking your brother not me. He's the one that took care of dinner tonight." Kuma replied as he took a sip of sake.

"Hmm? Oh well in that case thanks bro!" Kentaro simply nodded as he continued to eat. "How come you were home earlier enough to make dinner? Did you finish at the academy early today?"

"Yeah we had a practical exercise about tracking this evening but I finished so quickly that the teacher allowed me to leave early. Not to surprising given that I had Shiromaru to help me out. Isn't that right boy?"

"Arf!" Shiromaru poked his nose out from Kentaro's lap and eagerly licked up the piece of meat that was being offered to him. 

"Don't rely solely on your ninken when it comes to tracking son, there are going to be times when your ninken might not be able to help and it would be quite embarrassing if your tracking skills were too poor because you relied so heavily on Shiromaru." Chided Kuma.

"I know dad, don't worry. I take my studies seriously." Keitaro and Kentaro shared a look and laughed to themselves before settling back into their meals.

"But wait dad, if Ken was the one who cooked, how come you came home so early today? Kazuki was a little worried when we came back from training and you weren't there waiting for us." Asked Keitaro as he looked to his father.

"Well I was mostly staying back because I didn't want you walking home alone, but you're getting older and you deserve some freedom to mature." Kuma coughed lightly before continuing "That and the fact that Tsume wanted to speak to me about something."

Keitaro ears perked up upon hearing Tsume's name. "What did she want to talk about, was it important?"

"It wasn't all that important, or at least I don't see it that way," Kuma waved his hand dismissively "She wanted to talk to me about bringing you two with her to the Hyūga Compound to celebrate the third birthday of the first born child of the Hyūga Clans current patriarch in a few weeks."

Both Keitaro and Kentaro stopped eating and looked up at each other in confusion before turning their undivided attention unto their father.

"Why would she ask that from you?" asked Kentaro.

"Because of the clans prestige." 

All three of them sank into silence at that and once again Keitaro and Kentaro looked at each other, both noticing the confusion and anger in the others eyes.

"What do you mean the clans prestige? What does that have to do with us?" shouted Kentaro. His discontent on full display. 

"You boys might know this, but when it comes to the various clans of Konoha, especially the more notable ones, once the current patriarch or leader of the clan has a child, on their third birthday the entire clan holds a celebration to honor them, and to signify to the world that the next generational leader of the clan has been acknowledged.

This is important because it shows to others, both friends and enemies alike, that the clan has its future secured and will continue to prosper through the continued guidance and leadership of its ruling family

As such, that clan invites many important people from around the village to celebrate with them and to show off the child in question. These sorts of events are major social gatherings that hold a lot of significance and as such, you are usually only able to go to these events if you have been invited." 

Keitaro nodded his head as it made sense, people who held positions of power and who were viewed as members of the 'noble' class, always had a way of turning even the most mundane of things into a important events. This birthday celebration was also about showcasing the prestige and dignity of the Hyūga, and if just any and everyone could just roll into the party, not only would it become a security nightmare, but there wouldn't be enough space for anyone.

An open invite to a celebration held by one of the most prestigious and well known clans of Konoha? Everyone would want to get in on that action. However if they allowed such a thing it might actually lower the perceived class and dignity of the Hyūga clan as they would have allowed all sorts of riffraff to attend such an important celebration. The commoners don't mix with the higher class, a simple unspoken rule that was heavily enforced.

Kuma sighed before he continued to explain Tsume's visit.

"Usually it would be the more important individuals of a clan that are invited to go, to such a celebration as representatives, but these meetings are also a way to connect and observe the younger generations of the various clans. As such it is customary to bring members of the younger generations of your clans who show promise as a way to 'brag' about the strength of the clan.

Even in our Inuzuka clan, when Tsume had her first child, there had been a grand celebration where the various clan heads from around Konoha, along with a lot of other important persons were invited to the Clan's compound to celebrate."

"that's all well and good dad, but it still doesn't explain why she came to you about taking us? Keitaro only just started training, and I'm practically about to graduate from the academy!" 

"I was getting to that." Huffed an annoyed Kuma "The reality is that at the moment, the three youngest members of our clan that can make a decent showing at the celebration would be you two and Tsume's youngest child Kiba. Kentaro, you going would be to show the potential of our future generations. You're currently the top of your class and on your way to graduating from the academy ahead of time. All great things to brag about, especially since you also have a ninken and are able to use quite a few of the clans techniques with adequate proficiency."

Kuma then turned towards Keitaro as his explained further.

"Keitaro on the other hand, while not a student at the academy, he's been studying extensively about medical ninjutsu, something that would leave most of the others who are present at the celebration quite shocked, given that most persons begin studying to become medical shinobi only after they had already left the academy. Add to that his general knowledge about geography, math's, economics, and what ever else he's been dabbling in, and you have a veritable genius on your hands. Not to mention that he is about the same age as the young rising star of the Hyūga clan, Neji. While he might not be able to take him on in a direct fight, the fact that he doesn't yet have a ninken would be more than enough of a reason to justify him not accepting any duels. On the other hand he could challenge the other children there to a test of knowledge were he would definitely be able to walk all over them without a problem. 

In the end while it might not seem like a thing of great importance, its not impossible to draw the attention of certain wealthy and influential persons who would become interested in working with our clan in the future. Small deals like that are how we build connections and wealth with time. Regardless I've already accepted and you two will be going, Its better to do so of your own free will that to get the elders involved just to force you to do it. This way at least you can look forward to some rewards at the very least."

With that Kuma turn back to his food, making it very clear that h was finished with the conversation. Keitaro could see that his brother was fuming, but he didn't want to fight against their fathers wishes. Of course to Keitaro it didn't really matter all that much to him. As far as he was concerned meeting and interacting with the Hyūga could be a boon for him depending on how he played his cards and even if nothing came of it, at the very least he would be able to check om some of the important people of the overarching story.

There was one thing that he wondered about though and he wasn't going to let things go so easily.

"Dad, you've said that we would be going with Tsume to the Hyūga celebration, but you never once said that you'd be coming with us. Aren't you allowed to come with us?"

"I don't need to go with you all" Kuma said shaking his head in displeasure.

"Is it because you don't have to go or because you aren't being allowed to go?" Kuma's silence was answer enough.

"Are you being excluded because you can't stay on your feet for too long and still need your wheel chair to get around?

"Keitaro there's no reason-"

"Is it that shameful for the clan to have you there in a wheelchair? Would something so minor hurt the clans image?"

"Enough!...Please Keitaro…that's enough. Just let it go"

Kumas hands where clenched and he had even stood to his feet during his outburst, but his trembling legs soon forced him to sit back down once more. His sudden outburst had broken Keitaro out of the state he'd been in and immediately he began to regret everything he'd said, but before he could even attempt to apologize Kuma silenced him with his sincere words.

"Whether or not I'm allowed to go or not doesn't matter. This is an opportunity for you two to be viewed more favorably within the clan so I accepted to let you go. Take advantage of this opportunity with both hands."