Paid time off?

Paid time off.

Or rather, inspecting the upgrades and additions to the Hot Spring Baths. As it was his prerogative to 'test' the new bath areas before they officially opened... "Ahhh~..."

Well, normally he preferred his water icy cold and perfectly clear, but sometimes a stint in the rolling water was niiiice. The minerals would do his sore muscles and various training injuries good; and lord knew his jaw was loving the soothing warmth; still sore from his Water Trumpet training a week or so prior. Well, he hadn't lost any of his teeth, so no complaints. He'd known he was going to be stopping into the baths that day; so he'd been wearing his swim trunks under his robes the entire day. Hey, Kenta was Hokage; no one told him what to do. Often. He was pretty well whipped by his mate; but eh; he didn't care. Peaceful home, happy Kenta.

"Hmmn..." Happy sighs, all of them. Even as he slid beneath the water some, covering his face up to his hairline and just basking in the warmth. Glorious.

Having finished what missions the age had given him and cleaning his house; Heavens knew he needed to get that dump into living conditions! You could walk in and get lost in a whole new world. a smelly and messy world but Kenta cleaned it eventually. With the cost of having a few cuts here and there on his heels from broken bottles. He really was a messy pup.

Walking by the springs one day while the sun was high and the birds were singing, Kenta had noticed that it wasn't open for business but saw the steam from the baths floating into the air. The steam was there which ment the baths were on. All the excuse he needed. looking around he walked into the reception area at the front of the building. There was no one there and he couldn't see anyone. Shrugging he walked into the men's changing room. He undressed and placed his clothes in one of the ceilings slots which were slightly loose. It was enough room for his clothes so he cracked his knuckles and made his way to the baths with a towel around his waist. Little did he know that there was someone outside in there already.

Walking outside with the sun shining down on him hard he smiled. He never smiled alot and no one had seen him smile ever, as his golden eyes glimmered with the suns light, he turned his head; still walking and noticed the kage. Panic instantly rushed over him. he'd been caught and he was going to get into some serious trouble for breaking into the place. His toes chipped against an uneven slab and pain shot up to his through his body, all the way up the back of his spine and he froze mid-motion, falling straight into one of the more boiling baths.

Ignore it... Ignore it... there's nothing there... just enjoy the water...

SPLASH!

%*&@#)(&^%!

Well, now he had to pay attention to the outside world. He was still mostly underwater, free-floating in the deeper end of one of the almost lap-sized pools. Water darkened hair was suddenly surrounded in a wash of huge bubbles, the young Kage having been exhaling obscenities underwater with the rage of someone who did not get enough time to himself and was suddenly disturbed during his first real break in weeks. Joy.

He was slow to surface; rising like a spirit it seemed, basically abusing the Hiding in Water technique to push his body out of the water in such a way that he wasn't climbing out; more so just rising already standing. Ghostly, when coated in a thin film of the sulfur and other various minerals that where instantly drying to his skin as his skin his the cooler air.

"Who. Who the hell decided to disturb my alone time."

The heat from the sulfur water was to warm! Almost scorching temperatures! His eyes went white as he clawed the water around him, his towel floating up to the surface of the water. Turning around, he placed his feet onto the bottom of the bath and leaped out, shattering the waters surface. As he flew through the air in all his glory, he landed onto the cold stone slabs below, his back facing the kage.
His body was red and emitting a heavy cloak of steam all around his body. His towel eventually landed behind him up, soaking wet and also emitting steam.

Remembering the Kage was there he stood upright as he noticed that he was naked. He could've died from embarrassment. Bringing his foot back he felt around for his towel until he flicked it up with the foot, flying straight into his hands. He quickly wrapped himself up immediately and prepared for the worse.

"...." Right. So, either an idiot, or a really, really clumsy idiot. Joy. The Inuzuka merely stared, face impassive beyond the tick in his jaw and right eyebrow. This guy was... damn near the same age as he was, judging by appearances. Just... wow. "Who... are you?"

Not even bothering to wait, he stopped the flow of chakra that had him standing on the surface of the water, falling right back under the water without so much as a splash; only a slight ripple showing that he'd even been there. Said ripple faded into the rolling of the seemingly boiling water without much effort, until the top of the Hokage's head reappeared, only his hair and eyes exposed; the water line cutting his nose in half.

He turned and stared at the Kage. Was he in alot of trouble for this? He seemed pissed off in way where he could tell by his voice.
"My name is Kenta Sarutobi. Hokage." He said as he bowed his head in respect.
That's right, kiss ass and you'll be fine! Well you should be otherwise you're in for an ass whooping yourself you idiot! A voice said angrily inside of his head.

He stared at the Kage's eyes. Kenta's golden eyes becoming slightly narrow for some reason. He wasn't sure on what to do next. Leave or stay. If he left he could get into trouble for being disrespectful bu if he stayed he might anger the Kage even more.

The water around him exploded into bubbles once again, a few... colorful words breaking through the wash of air and water towards the other male. Nothing outright personal; just the grumbling of an already grumpy person. He dropped fully below the water for a moment, letting the warm water sooth him for a moment before surfacing fully. Chakra pushed him up until he was sitting fully on the water, knees pulled up some and an arm draped over his left kneecap. "Sarutobi. Seriously? I thought you guys where... not idiots, for one. Better ninja, anyway. What kind of ninja can't handle hot water? Or hell, thinks sneaking into the obviously closed baths is a smart idea?"

He was enjoying the site of the other squirm and freak out. It was keeping him calmer then he normally would have been. Although, if Kenta screwed up he'd have to deal with a boiling hot Water Dragon Bullet to the face.

Listening to the Kage insult him and his clan angered him slightly. he wasn't an idiot. He was slightly clumsy yes but not an idiot. Kenta clenched his right fist tightly that it began to shake slightly.
"I'm not an idiot. I was caught off guard and I apologize for anything I may have caused." He said through gritted teeth. He hadn't expected the kage to be like this. He obviously upset him yes but to react like this? he hadn't done anything extremely.

In his angered moment he felt a small gust of wind surround his fist. It was probably nothing but having being called an idiot just infuriated him for no reason. He'd been called an idiot many times before but maybe it's because all his life as a genin he had wanted to impress the Kage more that ever and his first chance he gets, he gets insulted by the very person he had trained to impress.
Get a grip you woman! Are you going to bitch every time you get slapped in the face by a few words? od! Go PMS in a corner and just stay there and I thought I was the bigger woman here. The voice said again.

A brow quirked when he realized that the other was taking him waaaay too seriously. Huh, seems as though the Sarutobi had never heard of Kenta's famous personality quirks. Oh well; Kenta wasn't one to coddle anyone, unless it was his own kids. Even then, not much. "Chill kid. You might wanna relax before you break your own hand anyway. Seems like you don't know the difference between sarcasm and actual anger."

Kenta merely sat there, toes flexing just right to send little waves radiating from his feet; bored habit and all. "Look, I have no intention of doing anymore paperwork then I have to do. Unless you've broken something, I have no plans on letting anyone report this little... incident." He wasn't off duty, no; but meh. Lazy. "Get back in the water if you want, doesn't matter to me."

Kenta became quickly confused with the Kage's reaction to him. One minute he looked as if he was ready to take of Kenta's head and now he was inviting him to stay or go? What was this about?
Releasing his clenched fist, blood slowly started to return to Kenta's purple hand. He wasn't fully aware of his actions but he seemed rather calm now.
"Sorry sir Kage. It wont happen again." He said, bowing yet again.
It's true Kenta is rather serious but ever since the death of his friend Aoi, he's always been on edge. She died not too far away from the baths since she stayed in the area. The multi colored feather flowed with the wind as it brushed his wet hair to the left of him. He shuddered so he looked at the bath where he had landed before hand.

Walking over to it he looked to the Kage and stared at him.
"Would it be okay to stay here in this bath sir Kage? I promise not to be any trouble at all." He said, trying to seem calm and collected but he was really dying from nerves. He wasn't sure how to hang about with people, never mind the Kage of the village!

Oh, this was good. He'd confused the other male; excellent. The Inuzuka was a bit of a dick; and had a host of social issues stemming from his screwed up childhood. You watch your uncle murder your parents and nearly kill you, then claim to be perfectly sane. It just didn't happen. He had a somewhat weird love of fucking with people.

"You may. This bath is more then large enough for two people. So long as you don't piss in the water or something, we'll be fine."

Kenta stared at the Kage, examining his facial expressions. They were almost sinister like. He pushed it to the back of his mind, surely it was nothing and he was just overreacting to the situation.
Bowing to the Kage's approval he untied his towel but kept it to crotch level as he slowly slipped into the baths. He sat in the bath opposite the Kage, He just felt kinda weird seeing as though it was his first time actually meeting the Kage in person and being able to strike a conversation.
He raised his left hand and began playing with the feather that was attached to his hair, twirling it from left to right as the wind slowly blew it about.

"So may I ask as to why you're taking time off of work? I figured you to be busy 24/7 and never having time alone." He asked, careful of his words. He didn't want to make a bigger fool of himself as he had already now. Shame really for someone who's so socially unstable.

"I'm not." He dropped into the water a third time, resuming his easy floating back where the floor of the bath was a good 8 feet below the surface. The majority of his face was still exposed, enough for him to talk anyway. "The reconstruction and expansion of the baths is nearly complete. I'm here... examining the finished work."

Code: He was taking a paid day off, by himself, and enjoying the water at the same time.

He floated around the pool, using his hands like rudders in the slow current. They'd need to adjust the flow rate to the recycle vents; there shouldn't be enough current to move a person. "I gotta ask though; what possessed you to sneak in, eh?"

Kenta sunk into the baths further, showing only the mouth and up, the feather floating on the water's surface.
"Ah right. So you're examining it are you?" He asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

He slowly moved his hands in the water. The water was murky but no wonder! he was sitting in an herbal mint bath ment to be good for the skin so. He was rather relaxed and was afraid that if he got anymore relaxed he may just fully sink into it. This had to be the most relaxed he'd ever been in his life! It felt amazing. He let a small grin slide across his face.
"To be honest...I don't know. I just found myself walking inside of it. I felt a bit tense. Well, really tense so maybe that's why." He replied to the Kage. He wasn't entirely sure tha if the answer he had given was good enough. He should just shut up the now.

"Yes. Given this is the fourth new bath area I've been in..." And as there where only 5 new baths, well, yeah. He was nearly finished, even if he was dragging this out as long as possible. The baths where too small for his taste once the dividing walls went up; so having a chance to enjoy them at full size was wonderful. The rest of the Sarutobi's response was worked over a moment before continuing, "Well everyone needs a break, yanno? Although I normally just disappear for a few hours and go floating down the river."

Well, given he floated underwater, near the river bed... yeah. He was hard to find, usually. Not many divers in Konoha, and even fewer that could handle the dark and cold deep in the river center. Glorious, glorious cold and dark.

Kenta began to fidget with his fingers under the water. He didn't really know how to reply to many people since he rarely talks unless he's really needed to. His golden eyes scanned the surrounding area....really nothing interesting in the slightest to see.
He looked back round to the Kage. Just sitting there. He didn't really seem all too fussed with Kenta being there but he felt uneasy. Thankfully he was sitting in the bath across from him.

"Can I ask...who will be at the Chuunin Exams? I'm not fully aware as to who's going to be there but I'd like to know who...unless it's classified?" He asked, not too sure on what he was on about but he wanted to keep the convo going. He wouldn't get another chance like this again so he had to try.

Ah, the joy of running. Ashi had been doing it for weeks now. Free running as it was usually called. It was always the same; she'd finish with her daily duty and chores and then take off with Akai right behind her. Every day it was a different direction, and for a long period of time. She'd always start on the ground and before she'd knew it she was on top of some high building or another.

Today was something like a race. Akai had been feeling restless all day, and Ashi was just the same. So that meant that a race was in order. The two had torn down the street like holy terrors, weaving in and out of people before they took to the walls, roofs, and the like. Ashi was in the lead for the moment, headed towards the unopened bath houses, but Akai was closing in.

Ashi ran from one wall to another, then along an even higher one until she reached a high enough point to jump herself right through the open roof into the bath house. She landed crouched but didn't stay that way for long. She had but a few seconds to take in the sight of the other two before Akai dove in after her, barreling into her and knocking her right into the water, causing a small tidal wave of sorts.

He was about to answer when the first splash hit; the second enough to send him flipping in the water. Son of a... he'd recognized the flashes of fur and color before they where submerged; mentally facepalming as he thanked his ability to think ahead for making sure he wasn't fully nude. awkward times he did not need.

"Ashi. What the hell woman?"

Well, at least this was a cousin he could tolerate. Or like, depending on who you asked. He denied any actual affection for her; but that was just him being stubborn. Everyone knew he loved his cousins, and that of all of them, Takoma and Ashi where his favorites. "I should skin you both, damn it."

His attention returned to the other male in the bathe, giving him an almost apologetic look before sighing heavily. "Cover yourself, kid. I doubt you wanna flash your dangly bits at my cousin."

A shadow flew over Kenta and then all of a sudden a tidal wave came from the other bath and over to Kenta's. He knew he was gonna get hit by this and had no time to dodge it so instead he grabbed his towel and went flipping backwards in his bath, bringing the towel in with him.
As he re-surface, wrapping the towel around him under the water, he looked at the two who had just surfaced in the other bath. A girl and a dog. His eyes spewed flames and his ears spewed steam. He was just beginning to get comfy and now this.

Hearing the Kage's words he nodded and made sure he was covered, even though the water was murky and couldn't see in through the water, he still had done what he felt was right. Then again she WAS in the mens baths at the time so technically she was at fault...not too sure how to react to the situation though he sunk his head further in the water leaving just his eyes and hair exposed with the feather floating about infront of him.

'Well, this is awkward..', she thought to herself as she resurfaced, now drenched from head to toe. Akai was already out of the water, shaking the excess of it off of her furry self. Akai sat herself down and gave what only could be considered as the dog equivalent of a grin to Ashi.

Ashi was slower getting out of the water then her companion and rather reluctantly climbed her way out, hating the sudden chill that leaving the hot water had caused. "Wrong roof...", was her mumbled response as she began to ring her clothing out.

Akai rolled around on the floor, making a sound similar to a laugh. Ashi shot her a quick glare that was all about the payback before looking over towards the other two, eyebrow raised. "Wasn't expecting anyone to be in here anyway." She wasn't about to lie, no point to it. She knew enough to know lying tended to give off a certain scent, had anyone else been in that bath water she might have attempted it... but she already knew there was no fooling her cousin. "My bad.." She offered a grin and scratched the back of her head a bit as she'd finished ringing out the hem of her shirt.

".... Right. Anyway, this is why I told you not to go running without route plotting first. You nearly broke that Academy Student's neck last week yanno." The male leaned back in the water, lifting his legs like a giant rudder; lifting the water and flinging it at his cousin and her ninken. Meh, might as well get a laugh before they took off or something.

"So. Ashi, Kenta Sarutobi. Kenta, Ashi Inuzuka." He waved between the two; not caring if either was paying attention. "Might as well join us, unless you feel like running soaking wet across the roofs until some Jounin decides to arrest you for 'breaking in'."

Kenta continued to stare at the girl and her dog. He raised his arm till only his wrist and hand was shower, then he waved slightly to them both. He wasn't much for social interaction with people and he wasn't about to start. Although he did have a soft spot for dogs which he tried desperately to fight the urge to stroke the dogs fur. It was really tough on him....He'd never summoned that amount of willpower before.

Looking at the Kage he wondered to himself; If she would get arrested for breaking in then what would he get!? Exposing himself AND breaking in!? His panic only raised more and sweat started to show on his forehead although it could've been mistaken for water running down from his hair roots. Oh my, today was not going to be fun for poor Kenta. Not one bit.

She gave a wave back in greeting, and offered a mostly friendly smile. She didn't have a problem with new people, just didn't trust pretty much anyone.. so the smile was about as good as it was going to get. Akai meanwhile sniffed in his general direction before laying down on the ground and laying her head down on her paws. Though her eyes remained open, and staring.

Ashi raised a brow at Akai before looking to her cousin. She shrugged and removed her top most shirt, allowing the soaked thing to drop to the floor. Shoes were next. Leaving her in her shorts and tank. She stepped back into the water, glad for it's warmth against the otherwise chilly feeling air. "Yeaaah," she drew the word out, biting her lip a bit, "Mom's already a bit pissed at me.. rather not make it worse." Nothing worse then that in her eyes, her mother was known for being a very scary woman when pissed.

"Isn't she usually angry with you? Seriously, I can't think of a single time I've seen either of you and not heard something about her being angry." He shook his head, soft smile partially hidden by the lapping waves hitting his face, "Sarutobi-san, calm down. I can smell your fear and anxiety from here. You're not in trouble as of now, relax while you still can, neh?"

Kenta blinked a couple of times before registering what the Kage had said.
"I'm not angry!" He said, tripping over his words. "I'm interested is all sir."
He continued to look at the dog even more now after what the Kage had said but he couldn't be rude. There was a female presence and he was brought up with manners.

"Ashi? Are you and Kage really related or is that what you Inuzuka say?" He asked,, slightly confused of their relationship. Maybe it's just what all Inuzuka said; classing each other as one big family. Who knows? He wasn't much for history into clans though maybe he should start studying into it maybe?