Shen blinked. "You- no you didn't," he said with a small laugh. "I think I would've known if you'd told me." Shen found this a little strange. In most situations, Lulu was rather sarcastic and cynical when he talked to her. He wondered if she acted differently when she was around Sukai, or just when she was around large crowds of people. He shrugged. "Agh, whatever. Doesn't matter to me one way or the other."

Sukai grinned as Shen asked him how he was. "I'm good," he said. "Not much been happening around this place. Just the usual, I guess." He then found himself in a hug with Lulu. "Thank you," he said with a smile. He was glad to see her at the party. He didn't think she'd show. Even if she did live with them. Sukai shook his head and then started to unwrap the gift as Shen and Lulu buried themselves in conversation. When he had finished and had opened the gift he looked at the two of them. "You guys know each other?" (Whats the present?)

Shen looked at Sukai and gave a small grin. "Yeah. She's my captain. We went on a mission not too far back." He gave a shrug and teasingly whispered to Sukai (just loud enough for Lulu to hear) "But I still don't think she's used to me yet," he said, referring to him being a wolf.

(I don't know be creative.)

Yeah, that mission was VERY fun...." She sighed. "Although I supose it coulda been worse." She sat on the couch. "Sorry I was late, I had some stuff to do."

Sukai shrugged. "No problem," he said. He then looked at Shen and grinned. "I don't see why, as many dogs as we have she should be used to it," he said in a low voice. Just then a swarm of dogs came in. Spot a dalmation, Todo a Husky, and the Fang a wolf. Sukai grinned. Where was Berry, Tenkuu's cat at. He shrugged. He then put the present in his pocket. "Thanks again."

Shen smiled, but then it faded when the dogs and the wolf came in. His eyes strayed on the two dogs, but then he looked away from them. Normally dogs were never too fond of him. He hoped those mu...dogs wouldn't start anything, or else he'd have to leave. Shen gave a small laugh. "Yeah, right. How much worse could it've gone?"

Sukai watched Shen look at the dogs. "Don't worry, they belonged to my brother, he to was a wolf." He then sat on a stool from the kitchen counter. "What exactly happened on the mission. You two couldn've been the ninja Tenkuu was yelling about a few weeks back, could you?"

Shen gave an embarrassed smile and put his hand to the back of his head. "Heh, funny story about that....Technically, it wasn't our fault," he said with a small grin.

Anna walked into the rom glad to be at a party. Instantly she saw her friend Kai. "Hey there," she said. "I haven't seen you in forever." She had been the first friend Kai had ever had and it was nice to know she'd made a difference in someone's life. Smiling she looked to Sukai. "Happy Birthday," she said to him, even though she didn't know him.

Sukai looked at Shen with a smirk on his face. "Oh really," he said. "How exactly is it not your fault," he asked. "She said you guys threw him out a window," he said with a small laugh. "I can't believe you guys would do that, I mean sure, you seem a bit crazy," Sukai said. He had to stop to catch his breath and stop laughing. "But really, a Kage?" He looked at Lulu and smiled. "Though I believe you'd do something like that..." he said under his breath with a sly look.

"Hey! I wasn't about to let an old crazy bastard murder my best ANBU!" She laughed. "Regardless of what happened, it was still fun." She sat down on the couch and sighed. She looked up at the ceiling. "Sukai, we still need to go to that dinner you promised me, how's tomorrow sound for you?"

Sukai smiled. "That's Lulu for you," he said. Then when she asked about the dinner he nodded. "That sounds nice," he said. He'd already met Haru and told him that he didn't plan to leave just yet, he wanted time to say his goodbye and stuff like that. H'd make the reservations tonight and they'd go tomorrow. No problem.

Shen looked at Lulu with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, if you can call almost getting killed fun," he gave a small laugh and a shrug. "You sure have a weird idea of fun."

"Aha, months of training with me and you finally understand that? Your a LITTLE slow there, Shen." She laughed a bit, stood up, and walked into the kitchin to grab a Mountain Dew.

Shen couldn't help but turn a little red at that. "S-shutup, I am not!" There were very few times when anyone called him slow and most of the time, like now, the person who'd said it had been just teasing him. He felt much like a child as he defended himself. Only certain people had the know-how to do that. Looking off to the side, Shen crossed his arms. "And besides, most of your training could hardly be considered fatal," he teased, as he looked at her from the corner of his eye with a small smirk.

Lulu smiled. "Yeah, well, I'll remember not to recommend you next ANBU Captain Exams!" She smirked and looked at him. She took a huge gulp of her Dew, and sat back down.

Shen looked at Lulu and the smile faded from his face slightly as he looked out one of the windows. "There's a reason I'm not ANBU captain right now, and it isn't because I would've been running against you." Realizing how serious he'd gotten at what was meant to be a joke, Shen shrugged and the smug smirk returned to his face as he looked at her. "But if I had been nominated for ANBU captain, we both know who woulda been captain right now." Truth was, Shen'd never gotten over the fact that his best friend had died while in the same rank as Lulu. It wasn't that he hated her for taking Kenshi's position or anything, it just was still weird to him.

(nice pic Lulu)

Sukai looked at the two as they started to talk and then shrugged slightly. He had no idea how they'd gotten on this conversation but he wasn't interested in it. Slowly he walked off and went over to the table to get some chips. He had a strange feeling that there was alot more to Lulu and Shen than just ANBU Captain and ANBU. He couldn't think about it though because Lulu would pick up his thoughts. He sighed quietly and bit into a chip. Was that where Lulu had been all that time? With Shen?

Lulu walked in after Sukai. "So, Mr. Birthday, whatcha gonna do now that your a high and mighty 18 year old, besides treat me like a queen?" She laughed at this.

Sukai smiled at her despite his dark feelings. "Well I'm going to treat you like a queen is for one, and take you out to dinner tomorrow," he said. "But for myself I'm going to...hmm, well, I'm not quiet sure. Guess I'll just enjoy having you around," he said.

Lulu smiled. "And I guess I can spend more time away from ANBU, I think I've earned enough money to give you a very nice present. If it's okay with you, I would like to take you on a vacation to a very cool place."

Sukai smiled. "I thought I was suppose to be caring for you," he said with a grin. "But vacation sounds nice," he said. He he picked up another chip and ate it. He then glanced arond at everyone in the room. He was glad they had came to celebrate his birthday, what better friends could anyone have.

"Your like your mom, Sukai. You couldn't watch out for yourself if there was someone else to care for!" She laughed. "And s, even YOU need a break sometimes!" She took a chip. She took a sip of Dew.

Sukai smiled and glanced to his mother then looked at Lulu. "I could handle myself without people to take care of," he said with a small nod. "But who can deny a break," he said with a grin.

"Uhh, crazy people with no one to spend time with?" She turned the stereo on and turned up the volume. She set it the songs by nickelback. Her favorite, Never Gonna Be Alone was on. The song always made her think of Sukai.... and oddly...of someone else...