[indent][h1][u][b][color=black]Uchiha Tensai[/color][/b][/u][/h1][b][color=gray]Shinobi Academy, Konohagakure[/color][/b] [color=gray]-- [i]Present Day, Morning[/i]

[sub]It's a collaboration, innit[/sub][/color][/indent]

All things considered, the 'stay in your seat and hope nobody notices you' strategy had worked remarkably well for Tensai. That was, until Kegawa arrived on the scene and Momomaru had initiated a full scale assault on his face before he'd even had time to react. His assailant moved with lightning speed and surprising momentum, as the minuscule missile had almost barreled Tensai over and onto the ground. It was all Tensai could do to shield his face with his hands, though this proved to be less than successful. 

[color=black][b]"I surrender! Please, no more!"[/b][/color]

Given his predicament, Tensai hadn't noticed the sound of approaching footsteps until they were practically on top of him, and by the time he turned his body to face the mysterious newcomer, he found his personal space once again violated when he was all but tackled by his other best friend and [i]actually[/i] thrown to the ground. So much for that plan.

[color=black][b]"Ow! I think you're breaking some of my bones, man."[/b][/color]

[color=fff3ad]"I mean, you totally deserve it. It's been ages, and [i]that's[/i] all you've gotta say?"[/color] 

Shunpei's was a sound for sore ears. It felt like years since the last time he spoke to either of them, and it brought a smile to his face to be with them again.

[color=fff3ad]"Hmph. Just so you know, I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed. And hurt. And betrayed!"[/color] Shunpei added an exaggerated sniffle to his performance, and Tensai could've swore he could [i]hear[/i] tears welling up in his friend's eyes. [color=fff3ad]"I think I'm gonna cry."[/color]

However, it didn't take long for Kegawa to reinsert herself into the conversation with an energy that had become all too familiar.

[color=#FF8C00]"Shun-tan!"[/color] 

[color=fff3ad]"Hiya Kecchan!"[/color] Shunpei called back. [color=fff3ad]"You want in on this too, right? It's not a dog pile without you, and besides, Tensai here hasn't experienced your righteous furry, erm, [i]fury[/i] yet."[/color] 

Kegawa laughed out loud, Shunpei's pun laden sense of humor was something that entertained them both, though Tensai was too busy trying to maneuver out of his friend's grasp to acknowledge the brilliance of the joke. 

[color=#FF8C00]"Don't mind if I do."[/color]

With another body now on top of him and with a canine companion still nipping at his face, it was all Tensai could do give a (only slightly) exaggerated grunt of pain. He didn't know how long it took before the trio's laughter started to die down, but the silence that ensued was a quaint one, and Tensai had to recompose himself when Shunpei finally spoke out.

[color=fff3ad]"So... Where've you been? What'cha been up to?"[/color] 

There was a momentary pause before his next statement. 

[color=fff3ad]"And do you want us to get off? It's getting kinda hard to breathe..."[/color]

The latter half of Shunpei's sentence barely registered to Tensai's ears. Where was he? How does one answer such a question when they barely knew the answer? Thankfully, the other two members of his childhood trio took the liberty of standing up. He followed suit after taking a moment or so to gather his thoughts. If there were any two people he could talk to about his ordeal, Shunpei and Kegawa were certainly them. They'd been his two closest friends for as long as he could remember, siblings he'd never had as far as he was concerned. His grandmother'd probably scorn him, but he needed someone to talk to. So, clan secrecy be damned. 

[color=black][b]"I've-"[/b][/color]

[b][color=806E84]“Tensai, how does it feel to be handed everything when you failed on Ha no Kyofu bridge? How you’ve become absolutely worthless to the entire village, but you continue to be seen as this gift to the leaf?”[/color][/b]

Tensai hadn't even gotten more than a word out of his mouth before he was not so kindly interrupted by the absolute last person he wanted to deal with. [i]Fukushu.[/i] The Namikaze girl had been a thorn in his side he'd taken great care to ignore for the past couple years. Something she was making impossible. Did she know? Of course she knew. Fukushu knew [i]everything.[/i] But how? Nobody was supposed to know what happened. For lack of a better term, Tensai was shocked into silence by the revelation. 

He didn't know how long he stood there lost in his own thoughts. When he returned to his senses, he turned his head towards where he assumed his purple haired tormentor stood and responded to her in a harsher tone than most would've expected from him.

[color=black][b]"Leave me alone."[/b][/color]