Lord Hyuga excused the women after dinner, much to Sen's dismay. She briefly considered arguing with him, but one advising look from Sora was all it took to keep her quiet. As the three Hyuga women exited the dining room, Madara followed Sen with his dark eyes, hoping this wouldn't be the last time he saw her.

Sen, Mina, and their mother went into an adjacent room and sat around a kotatsu table. Mina was positively sour after Madara's declination, while Sen was at peace for the first time all day.

"That was a waste of time," Mina snarled under her breath. Her face was red, displaying the obvious embarrassment she felt.

Lady Hyuga comforted her eldest daughter, "Dear, perhaps you can charm him on your own. You're the most beautiful bachelorette in the land, after all. What man wouldn't fall in love with you, Mina?"

Sen thought to herself with a cruel laugh, I'm sure Madara cares about more than beauty. What else could you offer him, hmm?

Mina brushed her short chestnut hair from her eyes before a look of skewed determination popped onto her face. A calculating, wicked smile joined her face before she narrowed her eyes at Sen and whispered coldly, "Don't think I didn't see that little smirk of yours earlier, Sen. It's quite pathetic really that you'd root against your own sister."

"There's no reason to root in absence of competition."

"You little bitch," Mina spit back. "We all could see how you two stole glances at one another all night. You aren't covert. This isn't some tragic love story, Sen."

Sen was numb to her sister's words. They hadn't changed much throughout the course of her life. Mina was always callous to her little sister, undermining and disrespecting her at every opportunity.

"Madara doesn't want to marry you," Sen responded serenely. She wouldn't allow her older sister to drag her out of character, no matter how badly she wanted to kick her ass. She pulled her long locks around her shoulder so that her hair pooled in her lap before adding nonchalantly, "Get over it."

"I don't know why I've even wasted this much time talking to you," Mina raged. She stormed out of the room, leaving Sen and her mother in total silence.

Back in the dining room, Hashirama was attempting to negotiate with Lord Hyuga. The Senju man's agreeable personality afforded him the ability to be persistent without being annoying.

Sitting in silence, Madara ran through the events of the night. Did Lord Hyuga truly think that he would agree to a political marriage? The Hyuga clan would benefit from joining Konohagakure without a marriage. Madara figured that the clan leader was trying to gain power by forging an alliance between the Uchiha and the Hyuga.

The events of the night had pissed him off more than anything. Madara was ready to leave this little village. He didn't want to deal with these people anymore. Seeing Sen at dinner was the highlight of his night. He didn't care if everyone else noticed him fawning over her. He wasn't sure if he'd ever see her again, so why did it matter anyway?

Sora interjected the negotiations with an idea. He cleared his throat, "Sen and I will go to Konohagakure for a period of time. We'll live amongst the people, train with the shinobi, learn the customs, and then we will report back to you, Father. This way, we will have a thorough picture of what life for the Hyuga clan will be like in this new village."

Madara was impressed by the plan and not only because it involved him having more time with Sen. He spoke for the first time since the marriage talk, "I think that's a proper idea, Sora. What do you think, Lord Hyuga?"

The elder pondered the concept before nodding as he ordered Sora, "Very well then. I trust that you and Sen will bring honor to the Hyuga name while you are away."

Lord Hyuga then stood and bowed to the group. He commented once more before leaving, "Uchiha, Senju... My final decision is still tentative. Do not think that this is a sign of weakness upon our behalf."

"We think no such thing, Lord Hyuga," Hashirama answered honestly.

He and Madara bowed to the elder. Mizura excused himself as well, leaving Sora and the two outsiders around the table. Hashirama thanked Sora for his assistance to which the young man replied that he was more interested in peace than politics. Madara thanked him as well.

The Uchiha was pleased for multiple reasons. Not only was he going home soon, but Konohagakure was on its way to becoming a true utopia and joining him there, if only temporarily, was the most fascinating woman he had ever met.

After leaving the Hyuga compound, the men strolled through the village. Hashirama noticed his friend's lifted mood and thought to himself, I wonder how much of this has to do with Sen Hyuga coming back to Konoha with us? He contemplated inquiring further, but decided to enjoy the typically brooding Uchiha's good mood. He clapped Madara on the back as they walked through the dusky streets back to the inn.

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