Third person pov

Just as they always did, they began their day with a lap around the village. Kakashi and Rin did not hesitate to pull forward this time, not wanting anything to do with the drama. Obito stayed with the drained Ethelia like the loyal husb- friend. Like the loyal friend he is. Meanwhile, behind them, Ethelia's dad was keeping pace with Minato. They were once again close enough to see Obito and Ethelia, but far enough not to hear.

"This isn't too bad, right?" Minato asked hopefully as he and the burly man jogged. 

"So far." He grumbled in a numb tone of voice that told Minato just how devastated he was to see that his daughter was indeed training to become a ninja. The blonde couldn't help but feel a significant amount of pity well up inside him as they moved along. 

"I promise to keep her safe." Minato said. "Not that she'll go down without a fight."

"I don't want her to fight at all, Minato-san." The man's voice was heavy with sadness that reminded Minato of a slow, morose rain, and a sky thick with clouds. 

"You know, she's not as mean to people. Not as defensive." Minato smiled at Ethelia's back as her ponytail swayed behind her. Faintly, he could hear Obito rapidly speaking to her. "Her sarcasm has dialed down."

"Oh, yeah, totally!" Ethelia called back to them. "I can hear you, dipshit!"

Minato sweat dropped. "Okay, so maybe she's a little rough around the edges still, but that's who she is. She's been excelling greatly. She hasn't made a single suicide joke in four days!"

Ethelia's dad, in all honesty, did not look impressed. Minato tried something else. "She hasn't gotten hurt, either. That ankle incident was a complete accident. It really wasn't even that related to training." Minato promised. He still didn't look impressed in the least.

"I know you have good intentions, Minato-san, for my daughter, and for our village." He sighed. "But I do not want her to be a ninja. I didn't want her to have this life. It's not for her."

"Ah, Ethelia! You jog this route as well?" A male voice asked. Obito put his hand around Ethelia just as he had the day prior, which gave her father pause, and they began to run for it. 

"Why're they running?" Ethelia's dad couldn't help but ask. Minato wanted to know too, and soon, he saw why. Ryuki Taki was there, in jogging clothes. Minato felt his blood run cold. He'd been watching Ethelia the day before, and was one of her classmates prior to her becoming a ninja.

"Fuck this. I'm outti." Ethelia said. Obito seemed to agree as they ran as fast as they could, deadsprint away from where Ryuki was. Yes, Ethelia hated him enough to run just to avoid five seconds of conversation. Her life wasn't all sunshine in rainbows, but if he would go away, Ethelia felt it would almost be. 

"Don't look back. Avoid eye contact." Obito advices as they ran.

"Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. What do I look like to you? Someone who makes eye contact with people in general, let alone their almost-rapists?" Ethelia scoffed at him. She was surprised she wasn't out of breath yet. Yeah, that would end in about five seconds.

"You're not panting yet!"

"Shut the fuck up. You know, why's Ryuki so cocky anyway?! Can he fly and blow shit up when he gets upset? No. No he fucking can't!" And now Ethelia was done sprinting. She came to a complete stop, bending over to catch her breath. "Oh, Lord have mercy. This is why I don't run."

"It's okay; we got away from him." Obito promise. "I could rough him up a little for you want! Maybe set his house on fire."

"If anyone's going to be cracking his skull open. it's going to be me." Ethelia stood up straight. "You know, this whole gravity thing has got me thinking. I can defy the laws of gravity. Shouldn't I be able to make myself immensely heavy as well?"

"Huh, I never thought about that. But how? Getting upset just makes you float. Do you have to enter some sort of zen state to get heavier?" Obito was glad to distract Ethelia from that asshat of a guy. What was his problem, anyway? Genuinely? There was really something wrong with him in the head for him to keep harassing her like that. 

Further behind them, as Ethelia caught her breath, Minato came to a stop in front of Ryuki, as did Ethelia's dad. Ryuki looked completely taken aback to see the girl's father, who in no way looked happy. He was quick to plaster on his same, dazzling smile to hide it all.

"Ryuki, what are you doing here?" Minato's tone was sharp and suspicious. Ryuki simply smiled. Minato didn't like that.

"I was simply going on a jog!"

"You're the same kid who told me Ethelia was a ninja." Minato jolted at the revolation, his eyes snapping to the burly man next to him, and then back to Ryuki, who didn't falter. "The hell you doing out here?"

"Jogging." Ryuki repeated happily. Minato wasn't buying it. The blonde didn't hesitate to grab him by the collar of his shirt, startling him greatly.

"If I ever catch you harassing my students again, you better be afraid." Minato hissed. "I will contact your parents."

Ryuki kept his composure. "Harassing? What do you mean, sir?"

Minato dropped him, continuing to walk. Ethelia's father cast the boy one last look before turning to follow Minato, determined to catch up with his daughter once more. The second his back was turned, Ryuki's face twisted into a scowl.

What a pain.