The peace wasn't to last. Not long had passed since Shotaro's entrance, when he heard footsteps. Around the corner came two people, each followed by a dog, one of considerable size, and the other a mere puppy.

One of the pair was a tall, slender, blue haired girl, while the other was somewhat smaller, and much more wild looking. They both bore the trademark Inuzuka clan markings. "...chakra. You're too hasty Yuuto, that's why you're so easy to catch out." The boy took a swipe at the girl, who smoothly side-stepped, swatting him on the back of the head and practically flattening him. "See what I mean?" the girl added. The older dog let out a low rumble, strangely similar to a laugh, to which the puppy seemed to take offense. Barking and clamping onto the older dog's leg, the little Puppy seemed to be playing the fierce act. Yet all he got was a bemused stare from the dog, who seemed unfazed by the attack.

Meanwhile, the boy was back on his feet. "How are you so strong!? You're like a stick!" he shouted, to which the girl gave him a glare. "Honestly Baby Bear, you should know by now that strength has little do to with winning. How do you think I passed the exam?" The boy huffed, and that's when he spotted Shotaro. "There's someone here!" he shouted, running toward the spring. The girl simply looked after him, shaking her head, before following at a walk. Yuuto Inuzuka made a dive into the pool, letting the towel that had been around his waist slip off as he ran. He was followed by the little dog, also leaping into the spring.

Surfacing, and shaking out his wild mane of hair, the boy grinned at Shotaro. "Hi!" he declared, before a comical expression hit his face. His hand clamped to his nose, and he recoiled. "UGH!" he shrieked. "The smell!" He pointed at Shotaro. "Bug boy!"

Warmth. In a similar manner to stepping into the sunlight to feel its warmth, Sujin could feel the water encapsulate his body. Every point in his body was almost melting, molding into a relaxed state as the warm liquid soothed his muscles. The near weightless feeling that being underwater gave him also added into his overall comfort. Floating down and resting at the bottom gave him a much needed escape from daily life. The only issue he had to face was holding his breath, the rest of his problems and responsibilities stayed up above lurking at the water's surface. It was his goal to not come back for air for as long as his lungs could physically stand.

While underwater, Sujin closed his eyes and let his mind wander. His thoughts drifted away from reality and off into dreams of fantastical wonder. So lost in his imagination, Sujin became unaware of any movements in the water or the waves of vibrations that one might feel from a person diving into the hot springs around him. He continued to be lost in his mind for a few more moments, until his lungs had put up as much as they could and began screaming out for relief. Reluctantly he obliged his body and sprang out from under the water, his long hair almost plastered around his face as water dripped down from his face and into the hot spring's surface that gathered at his shoulders.

Immediately there were loud noises hitting his ears. He winced as he got re-attuned with his surroundings and brushed the hair away from his eyes. Just across from him was Yuuto, the boy he had worked on a mission with once before, and two new faces. Another boy was in the springs, his skin very pale in contrast with his dark black hair. The other face was that of a blue-haired girl who seemed to have similar, albeit unique, markings akin to Yuuto's own. As much as the hot springs were divided for each of the sexes, Sujin didn't mind that she had decided to look in as he found her rather attractive. It didn't hurt either that she, too, looked ready to hop in her own hot spring with just her own towel on. Today was a good day to come to the hot springs.

However, he turned his eyes from the prettier spectacle to find the source of all the noise. As expected, the noise was coming from Yuuto who was holding his nose shut. Somehow Sujin felt that his restful moment at the hot springs was not going to be as relaxing as it might have been. He would move back to rest against the side paneling, plaguing Yuuto with a question. "What's the problem now, Yuuto? You're kinda breaking the chill tone here."

After asking the question, Sujin would notice that Yuuto's dog was there too. He would wonder if the establishment had any rules against pets and animals being in here. It was a public, affordable hot springs but he wondered just how 'public' that made it. Either way, it seemed the girl had her own dog as well that stood next to her. Seeing the girl's dog made him realize how big Yuuto's was probably going to get. He remembered him questioning if the little pup could hold its own in a fight, but once it got to the size of the girl's dog, there'd be no need to question the dog's ability to fight. It was rather impressive to behold.

"Now that's what I call a canine shinobi," he would say, raising a hand to point energetically at the girl's dog.



Post WC: 628

It was really hot there. One could search far and wide place like this. Shotaro loved every minute being there. And that was before someone came. The pair seemed quite similar. They both had a marks. Shotaro wondered idly what it could mean.

There weren't much time when boy was running naked to the spring. It didn't last long. Shotaro turned his face instinctively and then he regretted it. He may have never seen it again. It was a little wonder he thought about it. This age. He expected to go out not so fast. His body was reacting immediately.

There was a dog who followed noisy mate. It looked so nice. Shotaro was really into animals. He liked play with them as long as they didn't eat bugs.
- Hi - Shotaro answered, before guy said something weird. How could he know? It bothered Shotaro. The girl with her large dog was absolutely out of his mind. The boy was a bit embarrassed, when he heard comments on him. No matter how he know, but he shouldn't have said it so loud to everybody to notice. This announcement could be interpreted twofold. Shotaro wasn't sure if he want to tell his name to him. Neither did he.

And then something mysterious happened! One guy emerged from the water. It was scary. Shotaro shuddered. He knew the boy's name by now. It sounded great. All was happening pretty quickly. Why did he covered so deep in the water? No answers for that question. Shotaro gave a smile, when new guy told his wit.
- Hi. My name is Shotaro. Do you know him?- Shotaro said, nodding at Yuuto. Aburame was curious. Secretive one knew a lot. They must have met somewhere before. Surprising coincidence. There was a big chance of getting to know someone. Shotaro wasn't indifferent to it.

Yuuto paused with the newcomer's words, before his face brightened. "Sujin!" he shouted, climbing out of the spring. Yuki clambered out, dripping wet, and ran up to the Nara boy yapping happily. "How have you been? I haven't seen you since our mission together last week!"

Meanwhile the blue haired girl had walked over, the older dog on her heel. "Yuuto, you can't go doing that, how many times have I told you?" she demanded, cuffing Yuuto on the ear. The boy grabbed his ear, exclaiming in pain. He rounded on the girl. "Ana, you know I hate that!"

"And I hate you causing a damn scene everywhere we go" Ana replied sternly. Yuuto growled, taking a step back, and throwing himself at Ana. Ana deftly side-stepped and kicked Yuuto in the chest as he flew through the air, causing him to come crashing back to the ground rather unceremoniously. Yuki ran up to Ana barking, but she silenced him with a glare. "You're just as bad Yuki. I swear, you two are no better than five year olds."

Yuuto had regained his feet, although there was already the beginning of a mighty bruise forming where Ana had kicked him. Ana turned to Sujin. "Because my child brother is too impolite for introductions, I am Ana Inuzuka. This here is Okami" she said, gesturing to the proud dog by her side. The dog gave what could best be described as a 'sage nod of acknowledgement'.

Yuuto was holding his chest, clearly the kick had hurt. A lot. Okami turned to face the two, growling lowly. Yuuto and Yuki both looked at the dog, apparently rather perplexed. Then, the most unusual thing happened. They both started growling as well. Coming from Yuuto it was bizarre, while Yuki's growl was far from as intimidating as Okami's. Dropping down into the familiar stance he had used during their mission together, Yuuto looked about ready to attack!

That is, until Okami pounced on him. Savage snarling and growling came from the pair, while Yuki latched onto Okami's leg. The trio thrashed about on the ground, making quite a racket. And Okami seemed to be winning. Ana didn't even turn, instead still talking to Sujin. "You know Yuuto?" she asked, as she had heard the boy mention her brother's name. Yuuto gave out a cry as Okami clamped down on his arm, to which he then sank his own teeth into the dog's back. Yuki was now swinging off Okami's tail by his teeth.

With his hair out of his eyes, Sujin got a good look at the girl and her dog, and also at the only other face in the hot springs of whom he didn't know. With the bigger dog's presence, he actually felt a bit intimidated. Something he never had yet to feel when confronted with Yuuto's own canine companion. But even so, his attention was being diverted in a multitude of ways over the next few moments. First, the other guy in the hot springs had made a greeting to which Sujin could only half respond to before Yuuto cut in again. "Yeah, I know him from--"

And then Yuuto completely changed tunes as he noticed Sujin. The boy sprang up, stark naked, and ran along the side of the hot spring to talk to him. Not wanting to see the boy's unmentionables, Sujin shot his hand up to censor the boy's privates. However, Yuuto didn't get too close as the blue haired girl hit him on his ear. Ouch, the ear? Yuuto quickly spun around and made his complaints known to her, revealing her name (or at least her nickname). With the two Inuzuka's going at it, Sujin turned his attention back to the other bystander in the springs.

"Hopefully you got to relax for a little bit before this knuckle head showed up," Sujin would say to the other guy, Yuuto and Ana's bickering continuing at a much louder volume.

While the Inuzuka's bickering was short lived, the girl turned to introduce her dog and herself to Sujin. "Ah, well my apologies for not standing to greet you, but this is a bit less than ordinary meeting," he would hint to the fact that he was naked in the spring's water. Still, he'd give a curt nod of his head to the girl and her dog. Just a second afterwards, however, there was a brawl going on between Yuuto and Yuki versus Okami. Sujin figured that Ana might try to break things up, but instead she seemed more interested in talking with him. He might have considered this flattering had he not been hoping for some sort of order be brought down. Either way, he answered her question. "Yeah, like Yuuto said earlier, we had been placed on a mission together not too long ago. My name's Sujin Nara. Pleasure to meet you," he also gave a slight nod to the other fellow in the water with him. "both of you."

The fighting continued, with painful cries as fangs bore down on skin. Sujin had to turn away, looking sheepishly at the boy who still sat on the other side of the hot spring. I'm so sorry about all of this. Somehow he felt responsible just because he knew Yuuto a bit personally. But also, this was the only way Sujin could feel while repressing the frustration and anger building up inside of him. This place was supposed to be a haven for rest and respite, not pandemonium! Sujin didn't have the best temper around, one of a few reasons for his being there that very moment. Yet here was Yuuto shattering the calmness left and right. My neighbors have dogs quieter than this kid.

But for his sake, and the sake of the other guy in the spring, Sujin felt he needed to say something at least before the fight did real damage. "If you don't settle down, Yuuto, you're gonna get us all in trouble."



Post WC: 595
Total WC: 1223

Shotaro was watching all the scene carefully. He was quite excited. That fray didn't seem dangerous. They were hitting each other. It looked like a fun. Shotaro wanted to play with them but maybe not now. It could be misunderstood. Yuuto was full of beans. He was like a child. But it didn't bothered bug boy. He didn't even feel resentful of his greeting. There was no longer peace. Shotaro felt quite at ease despite screams.

Aburame nodded in agreement, having listened to Sujin. He didn't want to be rude. This mysterious girl was standing there still. She said her name. It seemed she was there to look after Yuuto. He couldn't be left alone. Shotaro was glad, there were other people.
- Shotaro - was said for girl to hear. If she was like her dog, too, she would heard it the first time. No secret was safe there. The sounds were traveling in all directions. It should have been in mind.

Trouble. How would they react to that treat? Not only their life was on a line. Someone could throw us out. Shotaro would have tried to stop them, if he hadn't been is such a strange situation. He had decided not to leave the spring now.
- What were you doing under the water? - Shotaro asked, changing the subject. Yuuto drew attention. Shotaro surveyed him from time to time. It was a big temptation for him, but he didn't say a word about it. He tried not to think about it so much. He achieved a little successes in that field.

Ana nodded to Sujin's response, before letting out a shrill, low whistle. Okami released Yuuto's arm as if shocked, and came to stand beside Ana again, the quiet dignity of the dog restored, even after only moments of being free of the fight.

Yuuto got to his feet again, now covered in tooth marks and scratches. He spat out a wad of hair, and it seemed almost as if the pair had meant to kill one another. Yuki was strutting around looking immensely pleased with himself, for reasons yet unknown. The boy didn't speak, instead checking the state of most of his cuts. Most weren't serious, however there were a few more meaty injuries. Yuuto was busy poking at, rubbing and generally testing out each wound, some drawing winces, others no reaction at all.

Ana was still talking however. "Sorry, to the both of you... Yuuto is... Well, he takes after the Inuzuka more than we'd like..." She gave Shotaro and Sujin both a smile. "Nice to meet you both, but the spring is calling me" she said, turning and heading for the door which led back toward the female spring. Okami followed along, and with their backs turned it appeared the two were talking.
Soon enough, Ana was gone, and that left Yuuto and Yuki.

Yuuto slid into the spring, wincing as the hot water hit his cuts. Still, it would be good for them, these springs were meant to be great for healing cuts, bruises, and other dings and dents. "So, how is everyone?" he asked as if the previous few minutes hadn't happened.

Ana seemed to agree and immediately made a loud, low sounding whistle that stopped all of the fighting. Okami was almost instantly back to being calm and Yuuto seemed to be pretty settled down as well. The only one that wasn't calm was Yuuto's dog, Yuki, who was holding its snout high as if in pride. With the fight settled, Ana and Okami left the boys to their own devices. Sujin was hard-pressed to try not to watch her as she left, but he did anyways.

With Ana gone, Sujin was able to better focus on the other two boys in the spring with him. Yuuto gingerly stepped into the spring, visibly in pain as his recent fight had left him covered with scratches. But more importantly was what Sujin noticed about the third member of their party as Yuuto was making his slow descent into the water. The eyes seemed to linger in directions that Sujin could only guess at, but such was his hypothesis that maybe he should stay on his side of the springs and not get too close or present himself too clearly to the boy. He didn't want to send, nor receive, mixed signals to anyone here.

Once Yuuto had gotten settled, he prodded the group with an ice-breaking question. Sujin could easily respond with a relaxing sigh, "Feeling so relieved right now."

The question then struck into Sujin's mind, pulling up what the other boy had said just moments before. I think he introduced himself... "You said you're name was Shotaro, correct?" Sujin asked. "And don't mind me. I sometimes get carried away with by how soothing the heat of these pools can be."

In fact, he wanted to plunge underneath the water's surface again. After being so enveloped by constant heat and warmth, the outside air was really starting to chill his face and neck. His wet hair would take even the slightest breeze and send chills down the back of his neck. Yet he knew that if he did plunge in again, he would most likely prune all the more. Not to mention how rude these two would think of him for just blatantly shutting them out by the sound-proofing water.

"We're all shinobi here, right?" he asked the group, although really aiming the question at Shotaro as he already knew Yuuto to be in the affirmative. "Because this right here is the only mission I would take again and again and again."

He would smile, even make a light chuckle at his own statement. Hopefully these two would see the humor in it, but if not it would at least be funny to him.



Post: 454
Total WC: 1677

Sujin’s remark seemed to miss the mark with his audience. Neither of the two boys seemed to react at all. Maybe the age gap was actually starting to show, he wondered. He turned around and reached for his towel that hung off a nearby chair, pulling it close to the water’s edge. Facing away from the two boys, he stepped out of the hot spring and quickly covered his indecency. “I guess that’s my cue boys. It’s been fun, but I best get back home.”

He waved to the two before heading off. As he went back to the changing rooms, he couldn’t help but try to see if Ana was still lurking around, but alas she wasn’t anywhere to be seen on his way back. She was too busy having her own relaxing bath. Hidden away by the curtain and bamboo walls that divided the hot springs between the genders. Maybe he would see her again. Judging by her own canine companion she was a shinobi herself, something that definitely gave motivation for Sujin to earn a promotion if it was necessary to be placed on a mission with her. Not to say that he was completely smitten with the girl. His feelings were merely in the admiration stage, as he had yet to know anything about her.  Running into her again would definitely test things out to see if his attraction was more than skin deep.

The changing room was relatively empty when he arrived, aside from two old men who were undressing as he walked in. One was a plump man that looked to be well into his seventies, sitting and undoing his shirt while his much lankier friend of nearly the same age pulled loose his pants. A glance was all he was given while they undid their buttons and belts. Knowing how comfortable most geezers were with presenting their wrinkled, drooping bodies, he kept his eyes trained on his locker and increased his walking pace to hurry his leaving while keeping the appearances rather calm so as not to offend the elders.

“That old coot of a wife you have is gonna ride you into the ground, Sotomo.” The plump man stated, folding his shirt on the bench.

“If only she did still ride me,” the lankier man said, triggering a deep laugh from the both of them.

As dirty as the joke may have been, Sujin couldn’t help but crack a smile at it. Perverted ol’ geezers, he thought. Taking his own clothes out, he focused on getting dressed, zoning out from listening to the two perverts’ discussion behind him. Once he had put on his entire attire, he would make his way to the exit of the hot springs. Without any further interruptions, his plans would be to simply return to the hammock he had set up back at his family’s home.




Post: 487
Total WC: 2164
Trained Genjutsu from C to B rank: 2000/2000
Remaining WC: 164

The other person in the pools, this Shotaro... He simply sat quietly, staring off into space it seemed. Yuuto glanced around, before returning his gaze to the quiet shinobi. Still he didn't say, or really do anything. And... was he staring?

Yuuto glanced over his shoulder, just in time to see Sujin heading for the door. Suddenly Yuuto didn't want to be alone with this guy, so he jumped clear of the water, and chased after Sujin.

~Exit

+272 Words last post, +79 this post

Total WC 1119