Hidden Copse (Private)

Paks flinched slightly at the physical contact, but went on as if she hadn't.

"It was not my place to comment," she paused, "And I do not have enough bearing for my opinion to matter in situations like that."

Anei shrugged.
"Every voice has a mind behind it, and every mind is capable of thought. Every voice is worth hearing. Old, young, big small, age and rank don't matter...Protocol may call for you to remain silent but don't think for a moment your opinions and thoughts are any less valuable than mine or the Kage's. Never let your tongue be held unless it is of your own choosing."

Paks stared at him, thinking about his words.

"But voicing my opinion in such a situation would have resulted in nothing beneficial. Shouldn't I abide by protocol when it is more productive?"

"Yes, if it is more productive, I suppose you may follow protocol. But don't think of it as following protocol, just think of it as doing what is more productive. How do you know you wouldn't have had any bearing? Not the same type of affect as Blaize's words, or Washi's, but... A small stone cast in a river can alter the current even slightly...giving just that last bit of added pressure to the bank, which then erodes faster, crumbling...forming a new force...in a matter of weeks the entire course of the river could be altered. Even the smallest pebble..."

Paks shook her head. "They would think that something was going on, already Blaize-sensei thinks our ties are suspicious. It is easy to say that a child has been fooled, and then my opinion would have been detrimental."

"It is easy to say a child has been fooled, but it is not easy to prove something that is false, correct? Do you think you have been fooled?"

Paks shook her head.

"No. I do not."

Anei smiled.
"very well then. They'll have a hard time proving that you have been, correct my young friend?"

"Why would they have to prove anything though? If the Kazekage said something, I doubt most people would disagree."

Anei smiled, shrugging again, his fingers flexing and unflexing. The point of the conversation was slowly fading away.
"I suppose that's true. So what is my little Paks-chan doing out here anyway?"

Paks glanced up at him, not sure what to say. Finally she settled on saying, "I was walking."

Anei nodded, flexing his fingers and jumping out of the tree, landing almost noiselessly.
"Hmm. So you didn't say anything because your opinion wouldn't matter much...It would have caused them to question you. But now, here with just me, i'm curious. If it had made any difference what might you have said? What are your thoughts on the situation?"

"You weren't lying. They should have noticed that. Their paranoia was just a hindrance in this situation," she said decisively.

Anei nodded slowly, looking up at her leaning against the tree.
"That is true...but they do have reason to be suspicious. Particularly after Washi told them so perfectly just the way I work."
Anei pulled a senbon from his coat and showed it to Paks.
"You see...I can say I won't throw this at you...but that would be a lie, and you can tell because I pulled it out and am aiming it at you...And from then on you wouldn't trust me. But if I tell you I'm not going to throw a kunai at you, and I don't, you'll be focused on the lack of kunai and not see the small senbon, and even after it hits you, you still have to say that I'm an honest man."
Anei smiled warmly sending the senbon flying at her at a relatively slow speed.

Paks reached up and grabbed the senbon from out of the air.

"But that does not make you a liar. They assumed that you would be lying because of your nature, and that assumption was wrong. For truly, you could tell the truth in such a way that you would not need to lie, correct?"