[right][hr][color=gray][color=white][b]Senju Complex ->Academy, Konohagakure[/b][/color]
Present Day, Daybreak[/color][hr][/right]

As the dreary rain beat a staccato rhythm against the rooftops of the Senju clan Compound, a young boy seemed oblivious to these sounds from where he sat. Head down against a desk littered with various sealing diagrams, papers, ink wells, and everything else the young Sealing prodigy could need, he lay in a deep but troubled sleep. His features were scrunched, and every passing second brought with it some twitch or low groan, tell-tale signs of a nightmare ravaging his poor mind. So tightly did this terror have a hold of him that even the sound of the rice-paper door sliding open did not wake him.

"Young Master? Young Master, it's time to get up." The servant was a man of elder years, a faithful servant of the Senju. But as he trudged through the mess of seal diagrams, half-opened scrolls, and who knows how brushes, he couldn't help but mutter under his breath about the indignity of the young man put under his charge. With a sigh, he placed on the boy's shoulder in order to rouse him. "Youn-"

The words had barely left his mouth when the boy suddenly jolted to an upright position at the man's touched, violet eyes wide and bloodshot as he brought up a sealing tag before him, breathing heavily as his gaze swept across the room.  the servant, for his part, did his best to give the boy his space, knowing how he tended to get after his nightmares. . . though this one must've been rather bad for him to have this kind of reaction.

"Master Kiyoshi . . . calm yourself. It was only a dream." The servant held his hands out, makign sure to make no sudden movements as he waited for the young man to full come wake and come to his senses. The wait was not long, thankfully, as the hazy glare of Kiyoshi's gaze steady after a few blinks, tag lowering back to the desk as he rubbed at the bridge of his noses. 

"Yes. . . Yes, of course." He muttered softly, looking down at his work from the previous night with a far off look. Before the servant could deem to try and comfort the boy with whatever words of wisdom he had, Kiyoshi raised a hand to silence him. "It's fine. It's not the first nightmare I've had. . . tell mother I'll be making my way to the academy in a bit."

". . . Do you not want to try. . speaking with her?" 

"We both know how that will turn out." A cold reply, with barely a hint of remorse.

"But maybe-"

"I said no!" This time the words held heat, a heat that burned within the violet eyes glaring from beneath a messy curtain of scarlet. "I am a genin now, are I Not? Not a child that needs to hide under his mother's skirt whenever his mind plays tricks. It will pass, like always. So remember your place and do not push the subject." 

". . . As you wish, young master." The servant let out a sigh, as he turned away to allow Kiyoshi to get ready in privacy. It was a vain hope, but the old man often hoped that the young master would try to take steps to overcome his trauma. His mother often confided in him how she feared her own child held some ill will against her, and after so many years serving the young boy. . . he was inclined to agree. Even with his unusual fear, his avoidance of his mother seemed extreme. But alas, there was nothing he could do. Trying to force the issue only worsened matters, as the old servant found the tales of Uzumaki stubbornness to be quite true in regards to the young heir. No, the only way this matter could be resolved is if the boy wished for it to be. He could only wish that day come sooner rather than later.
[hr]
Kiyoshi walked to the Academy in his usual state of dress, with hair a barely combed mass of wild, messy waves, unkempt bangs framing an effeminate face, his small figure draped in a cotton yukata ill-befitting his station but much less costly o replace when it became inevitably stained with Fuin Ink. This morning, a particularly large ink smudge was present on his face, a remnant of the last night's project. He inwardly cursed his inability to stay awake, as he had likely negated last night's progress with his carelessness.  Rubbing at his eyes, the boy took his seat towards the back of his room, setting his parasol to the side of him as he took a small scroll from the folds of his yukata. The parasol that he used was imbued with seals to improve its ability to protect against the rain, but still, the young Uzumaki felt a distaste for the weather around. Not only did it make for a poor omen, but it also meant he was unable to work on his seals before class. A truly irritating circumstance.

Alas, the day's irritations didn't seem to end with just poor weather, as Kiyoshi felt a different kind of chill crawl up his spine, a lone inkling that proceeded the coming storm that was Hyuuga Hikari. The branch member seemed to have it out for him for some idiotic reason that he couldn't begin to understand, and she proved a constant annoyance day in and day out. With any luck, today would be the last in which he ever had to interact with the she-devil ever again. That being said, 'interact'would be a strong word for what Kiyoshi did as Hikari stood in front of him.

While the Hyuuga's words flew into one ear and out the other, every step towards him prompted 3 steps away by Kiyoshi, his eyes kept downward as he felt his heart rate quicken in her presence, his breathing growing haggard as he sought a way out of this situation. [i]I should've gone to get Shunpei. . he would be able to fend of this annoyance. . . or at the very least, assist me in facilitating a response.[/i]

Alas, Shunpei was not in sight, so Kiyoshi had to make due with what possessions he had on hand. Clenching the handle of his parasol tight, he made to walk around the Hyuuga, offering her no words of greeting nor even acknowledgment of her presence. Honestly, he just wished to be as far away from her as possible. He was hardly in the mood for her games in the first place, and after today's . . . incident, that mood had only worsened.