Daraku was always reinventing himself. Even the version of himself he was earlier in the year was already different than the person who was walking back into Sunagakure with his sword on his hip and his hair long in the front and blond all over like he used to wear it when he was a teenager. He still felt like he was a teenager, in a lot of ways, actually. Despite being 23 years of age and struggled with a number of mental illnesses and various traumas, he felt young, calm, and happy. Maybe it was all the time that he was spending practicing Senjutsu, it was making him wiser, like a real sage. He had spent the last few months helping the Dusk Moth Sage train a new pupil, though they weren't adjusting very well to the senjutsu chakra, so Daraku had personally recommended that he stop the training altogether or at least take a break so he wasn't risking his life. Out there on the island was like a different world, being surrounded by a lush forest and the ocean and giant moths all the time. Being back in Suna finally was surreal, to say the least.

Suzume was a distant memory. Daraku had heard from his clansmen that she was gone again, but Seiryū was to take her place as Kazekage. Then, he took a complete left and attacked the Slums where Daraku used to hang around as a kid, before leaving. He hadn't been seen around Suna since, and had gotten himself on the Bingo Book. Things had changed so much that Daraku didn't know what to expect going back. He had no idea who the current Kazekage was, or how the village itself was doing. All he knew was that his clan continued strong, and since they were his family, that was what mattered to him. All these memories of friends, but all that he could focus on was the memory of his deceased mother and uncle and even his father, and how much he wanted to work his hardest in hopes that they, despite all of his troubles and sins growing up, were still watching and were proud of him.

Daraku knew full well he needed to get back into the real world, cut his hair, take an actual shower. Readjust...but all he could think of was basking in the sunlight that he'd missed, so the first place he went was the top of one of the buildings in the center of the city. He sat down on the railing, overlooking the village. The heat felt inviting and comfortable. Responsibilities could afford to be postponed further, for now.

Syekren's form moved from rooftop to rooftop, on his way back from a mission. He'd been sent to the slums to recon gangs and hadn't learned anything, since the people he was to observe hadn't shown up. It was rather trying on his patience when it came down to it, but Syekren tried not to worry about it too much. He would have another chance soon enough and would gather the information he needed.  Syekren stopped on top of a roof, looking up to the sky, quietly thinking. The sun was behind his back, causing him to have his features hidden in shadow, and should anyone look up to see who it was, would be unable to make out who he was, due to the sun still being blindingly bright. Syekren stood there quietly for a few minutes more, considering how he'd not found his target and wondering if it was because he'd just been a failure, instead of the targets just not showing up. Had they known about his coming?

Syekren jumped down to another rooftop to have his form come into view once more. He was wearing black shinobi tights and tabi, with black sandals. On his top was a shinobi netted shirt with the arms having blackout sleeves to hide his arms from view. Over the netted shirt was a shinobi gi vest, and his hitai-ate was tied around his forehead, showing the sunagakure no sato symbol proudly. Syekren's blue eyes stared down at the people below him. One eye, the right, was a darker shade of blue than the other and from his left eyebrow down to his left cheek was a scar. It went through the eyelid as well, as though someone had sliced through his entire eye. The man had a gruff and short beard that was more scraggy than anything else. Syekren's hair was held up above his eyebrows by his hitai-ate and was short and black, the back barely touching the nape of his neck. All in all, it was as though this was a completely different person from when he first started as a ninja.

Syekren looked over to see a man leaning against a railing, tilting his head. Something about the form was rather interesting and familiar, but Syekren couldn't place it. The blonde hair wasn't all that familiar but just the stance and the body type caught his eye. Syekren moved towards the other male silently, tilting his head. As he approached it all came clear: Matsuro. But.. how? Syekren had heard that he'd went missing as well, not long after Syekren himself had. How was this possible?

"Matsuro, is that you?"

456

Inbetween the wind blowing Daraku's hair back and the sun flashing into his eyes came a gruffly voice that sounded unfamiliar. "Matsuro?" He sighed and rolled his eyes, assuming it was someone who was still under the impression that he was a criminal. Those were dark times, though they felt like the most fun in the world, at the time. The name Matsuro, originally intended as a diversionary alias, had sort of become a symbol of Daraku's dark side, the psychopathic, misguided, bloodthirsty version of himself that he had been for so many years. Who Daraku was now was vastly improved and though still a sarcastic asshole who lived for fights, he now had a conscience, a sense of morality, and loyalty and love for those around him. And that loyalty and love hit him hard when he finally turned toward the voice, ready to give them an earful about how he had atoned for his past, he was one of the strongest ninja of Suna, and he would do anything to protect his home...only to find Syekren, his comrade and former student, standing there. It looked like a completely different person. Older, wiser, now rugged and battle-scarred. Everything certainly took them both on quite a ride over the years. "Well look what the fucking cat dragged in! You look like shit, Sye, but I'm not one to talk, wearing these dumb shorts and smelling like nature's asscrack."

The Sage hopped back over the railing, facing Syekren with a huge grin across his face. Syekren just looked shocked. Reasonably so, as he probably assumed Daraku had been dead or something all this time. "Eh, who am I kidding? You look pretty good, not gonna lie." he admitted, offering a wink and then walking over to the opposite side of the roof with his arms open for an embrace. "Get over here, buddy. How you been?" The pair certainly had a lot of catching up to do.

"I look like shit? When did you become such a nature boy, ya hippy?"

Syekren chuckled, watching the man come to the opposite end of the railing, offering his open arms in a hug, after telling Syekren he actually did look good and winking. Syekren smiled and pulled himself into the man's arms, wrapping his own around the figure of his comrade for a few moments before letting go and backing up to hold him at arms' length. Looking the male up and down, he hadn't changed so much that Syekren could not recognize him, but he was definitely a completely different person now. He seemed wiser himself, as though in the time they'd been apart he'd grown significantly, power and maturity wise. There was still a deep expanse between the two of them in terms of power, but Syekren felt as though some how, he was finally catching up to the man he had once called sensei and looked up to. Sure, they had their ups and downs, what with Syekren trying to capture him and all, but the two of them were still the best of friends. He truly did smell though, almost offensively bad.

"You're right about your smell, mate. Pew. As for how I've been, well I've been alright. Got back from my hiatus not too long ago, met the new Kazekage. She rubs me the wrong way, but she does try, or at least it seems so, to fix the village. She even helped me by transplanting my new eye. I'm no longer without a second eye, if not consequentially sporting a new facial scar. Though I think it makes me look ruggedly handsome. What about you, man? What's the great 'Matsuro' been up to? Though, whispers in the sand tell me that isn't your real name, you sly devil you."

Syekren chuckled again and winked at his friend, as though he'd found out a big secret. In truth, he had only checked the records for his friend not long after getting his eye transplanted. All he'd found out was that the name Matsuro was an alias and the records revealed little else. He apparently had only spent a month or so in jail and was then released, having been pardoned by the Kazekage of that time: Suzume Koga. It had been five long years since the two had seen each other though. The last time the two were together, Syekren was a young upstart who had just been made a special jounin and joined the ANBU. The only other living person other than the Kazekage who knew that he was the ANBU Hizencho was the man standing before him. If he wanted to keep his title as an ANBU, he'd have to make sure it stayed that way, otherwise Kazekage Midori would most definitely revoke his status and send him back to being a regular ninja. He'd have to slip this into the conversation somehow to make sure his friend would keep his secret to himself, otherwise Syekren would be in trouble.

"Ah, I forgot about something. I'm sure you know Suzume Koga is no longer the Kazekage. Right now we have someone of the Ningyou named 'Midori.' I did just mention that she was new, anyway, but she's a medical ninja with I think some skills in puppetry? I couldn't tell you for sure. The records I found didn't say much about her explicitly, or I just didn't find the right dossiers. Supposed to be fixing the crime problems, but we're having just as much lately, if not more. I dunno what is going on here, but something just doesn't feel right and I feel as though we should be doing more! I don't mean to talk your head off, my friend, but shouldn't we have a mission or something to clean the streets of Sunagakure no Sato and do our best to fix our home?"

Syekren was obviously flustered by all of this. He'd been thinking about the problems posed to the village due to the history of lax administration and poor management on the parts of the previous kazekages. So far not one of them had done anything to stop the crime in the village, or clean it up and make sure people were safe. The slums had gotten worse as a whole and became such a hive of villainy and scum that gangs and criminals from other nations came there just because they knew they wouldn't be bothered by the authorities. Something had to change in the village before they started to become an entire nation of criminal activities and destroyed buildings. Perhaps Syekren was thinking too much into this but nothing was how it should be, and the economy of the sand was only slipping further and further by the minute. Now that Matsuro was back, perhaps he'd have a plan on what they could do to make the village go back to the former glory Syekren had heard of in the stories of the village.

863 + 456 = 1,319

After their hug, Syekren added a comment about the smell being pretty bad, which made Daraku chuckle. If even he himself could tell it was bad, it must have been twenty times worse for everyone around him. He made a mental note to wash off as soon as possible. "That's what being stuck in nature surrounded by bugs and shit does to ya. Me, a sage. Who would've thought?" Syekren explained the situation in the village as best he could: the new Kazekage was a medical ninja much like Daraku himself, and she had been the one to transplant Syekren's new eye. Daraku had almost forgotten that he'd lost his eye before, and after realizing it, he got chills. The scar over the new eye looked gruesome. Sye added that the new Kazekage "rubbed him the wrong way", which made Daraku raise an eyebrow. "Huh. Well, considering how hard it is for me to like people, I probably won't like her much either. I suppose we'll see if and when I meet her one on one." Then came the last thing, which was like a spilled secret to Syekren but more like a forgotten memory to Daraku. "What's the great 'Matsuro' been up to? Though, whispers in the sand tell me that isn't your real name, you sly devil you."

"What can I say? When I decided to go rogue back in the day, I tacked on a nice fake name so that none of the stuff I was doing ever reflected on my clan and also so it wouldn't be so easy to get caught. If I remember correctly, that's also why I started dyeing my hair. Crazy stuff, heh. My real name is Ishido, Daraku." The Sannin was on cloud nine, reminiscing with his old friend. He run one hand through his messy hair and shoved the other into his pocket. He was just about to ask some more personal questions about Syekren, when just before he opened his mouth to speak, there was more news to be told. "Ah, I forgot about something." And then came what was practically the most vital piece of information to Daraku, at least in terms of catching up with the administrative state of Suna: Suzume and how the Kageship had passed. Apparently, this Kazekage who Syekren wasn't fond of was named Midori. She was new and had skills in puppetry, as well. Very little known about her, which was strange, and she was supposed to be eliminating Suna's usual problems but according to Daraku's companion, nothing much had changed. He continued by saying that the two of them should be doing something to aid the village in its time of need, go on a mission to "clean the streets"  and fix everything. Daraku nodded in agreement. "Quite a shame, but I can't say I'm surprised. Poor leadership has been a problem in Sunagakure since long before I was born, and it will continue to be long after I'm gone. I just hope that since I'm back in the village I can try to do what I can to help. So yes, maybe we should do something about all of this."

The Sage turned away again to look towards the sunlit sky, his cloak and likely his stench flowing behind him. He wondered if all the Suna-nin he'd known and lost, his family and friends, and whoever was left were out there, in the world or in the afterlife, thinking of him. Of the village. Of the sands and the crime and the danger and the commotion. Daraku knew he was a hypocrite, considering he had been one of those criminals and had killed his fair share of people, both within the village and without. Things change and so do people, and he knew that. The thing that Sunagakure had had in Gin had been lost for ages! Suzume had her own turmoils and Midori by the sound of it was a mystery among the villagers and its protectors alike. So what was left? The two of them, likely the two strongest shinobi in the nation of Kaze no Kuni, standing there, on a rooftop, knowing full well that they were the only ones left who might be able to emulate what Gin brought to the village back when Daraku was a kid. Stability.

"Y'know, less than a year ago, I was toying with the idea of becoming Kazekage in my head, back when Suzume was around. I was gearing myself up to replace her, and I knew that a good friend of mine who was also a powerful ninja was as well. I think if either of us had become Kazekage as we intended to, we'd all be better off, not just as a village or a nation, but as people." Daraku cleared his throat and faced Syekren once more. "But who knows? I know that I'm not the best leader in the world, my clansmen remind me of that every day. And I have plenty of issues myself, and that friend of mine has ran off and moved on to a different life, so maybe neither of us were fit to be Kazekage. I don't know anymore. What I do know is that I trust you, Sye, and if you say this Kazekage isn't right for us, then I'm with you."

"Well, if you do meet her you just might like her. I couldn't tell you how to feel. Sage though? Quite the achievement. I'm still just myself, though I am learning more everyday. I learned genjutsu not long ago from a student of mine and now I am training to cast better illusions. In any case, I do understand the need for a facade to be built upon yourself. Daraku Ishido, eh? Quite the name you have there. But I suppose it's no more gaudy than Syekren Uchiha."

He chuckled a bit and pushed his hands into his pockets, taking a more relaxed stance.  Daraku agreed with what he was saying, that they should be the ones to try and make the lives of villagers better by fixing the prevalent problems. He wasn't wrong though, poor leadership was always a part of the village's administration team and there was always something wrong with what was going on in the Kage's manse. The problem was, the most common denominator of the equation always came down to the elders that controlled much of what the Kazekage was too busy to handle. They were to be blamed just as much, if not more than the Kazekages before for how the village's state had deteriorated. After all, Midori was only in the position of Kage for a little while now and hadn't had ample time to make a dent in anything. It just felt to the young Uchiha that nothing was being done at all, so he was filled with anger and angst. Upon thinking more and more, the elders seemed like the logical reason for why everything was going bad in the village just as much as one would blame the Kazekage.

Let's not forget the Daimyo.

Daraku turned away and looked towards the sunlit sky, a wind blowing his cloak behind him. It looked rather cool, if the smell wasn't wafting behind him as well. Syekren almost wished he had worn his cloak today so that they could stand there looking wistful. He chuckled to himself, moving to the other side of his friend, to be out of the way of the stench, staring up at the sunlit sky as well. Much had changed for the two, and Syekren was not going to deny that Daraku was once a criminal himself. But he came back to try and fix things in the village and became someone precious and useful to that cause. No one could deny everything that Daraku had done to aid the village and her people. Syekren had taken the time to do what he could for the village, but he felt as though his friend beside him had done just as much, if not more in his quest for atonement of his sins.

Syekren listened as Daraku told him of his aspirations for Kazekage and how he and a good friend had both tried for it after the dismissal of Suzume Koga. He figured that if either of them had become Kazekage like they intended to, everyone would be better off and Syekren couldn't exactly disagree with that sentiment, but he had something else on his mind. He had wanted to be Kazekage as well, once upon a time. His entire point of rising in the ranks so rapidly and felling so many foes was to put himself in the position to take over once the Koga girl had failed.  When Daraku cleared his throat and faced Syekren, the young Uchiha turned to meet his gaze, his head tilting. He didn't consider himself a good leader and neither did his clan for that matter, but what came next truly shocked Syekren. He told the Uchiha that if he believed the Kazekage was not right for them, then he trusted Syekren's judgement and would be with him. At his side, he'd have his best friend against any opposition that would be thrown towards them and that was all he could ask for. The male smiled softly, speaking with a fluid, melodic voice he had been keeping from the other, reserved mainly for less trying times.

"I appreciate this, and I extend the same to you, my old friend. But I can't say for sure if she isn't right for the village, it is my duty to protect her. I would not wish harm on her unless she gets in the way of my mission.  I only know that the elders are responsible for such disarray and even the man I knew once. His name is Seiryu, and he was once a Kazekage candidate. He betrayed the village and caused strife in the sand when he committed murder of what some would call innocent people. He caused more chaos in our home, and for this he must be brought to justice. Him and the elders who see the struggles of our village and do nothing, stuffing themselves each and every day. I once wanted to be the Kazekage, to lead us into a better future. I wanted to help our village grow and once more gain prosperity, but that was dashed away. Now all I have is my title and my mission. Soon, I will be travelling the lands to fulfill an obligation. I can only hope to have you at my side, Daraku."

He smiled softly once more to his friend, turning back to look at the sky. Truly, a lot had changed for him and he was no longer the immature boy the other ninja had befriended. Five long years of solitude as an ANBU had changed him and forced him to become the man he was that day. Syekren sighed to himself, reminiscing on his dreams of when he had challenged Suzume the first time. He had once seen himself as Kazekage material and had challenged the girl to a duel for the right to take her on a date, as well as to show that he was the superior ninja. He'd won both the date and the honour of being stronger, but his hopes were dashed then as she ascended to the title of Kazekage, leaving him behind. It was because of this that he worked so hard and alienated himself from most others, so that he could get as close as possible to Kazekage, without actually being the Kazekage. It all went away as he left for five years to deal with some missions and personal business, coming back to her gone and others surpassing him in his absence. It was almost shameful, but this was his chance to change it all.

1,113|2,432

Sye quipped that his own name was likely more gaudy than Daraku's, which made Daraku laugh. "I'll let someone else be the judge of that." But in response to Daraku's supportive statement, Syekren seemed to grow serious. He explained his utmost gratitude at the sentiment of Daraku being by his side, but he guaranteed to Daraku that he would follow his duty as a shinobi of Sunagakure and protect Midori because she was the Kazekage, unless she got in the way of his mission. This made Daraku raise an inquisitive eyebrow. He saw himself in Syekren, just then, got flashbacks to the time when his own missions had taken over his life. He saw the silhouette of his own face over Syekren's, imagining the words in his head on repeat. "If you get in my way, I won't hesitate to kill you." Daraku's shadow repeated to himself, bringing a frown onto his face. It was a sentiment he remembered well. A vendetta, perhaps. The taste for revenge. He hoped that it wouldn't consume Syekren, a man who practically had hatred in his DNA as an Uchiha.

Daraku snapped out of his worry when a name crossed Syekren's tongue. Seiryu. His heart started beating fast. Seiryu had betrayed the village and killed people. Daraku had heard such news and figured it was true since Seiryu wasn't around, but hearing Syekren confirm it was like someone driving a knife into his heart. "Yes, Seiryu. He was the friend of mine I was referring to. It's...a shame that's how things turned out. He was such a dedicated person." he purposefully made no comment on the idea of "bringing Seiryu to justice" because he knew that if it came down to it, he would never do anything to hurt Seiryu because Seiryu would do the same for him, even if the prideful and stoic man would never admit to it. Syekren claimed that he would be travelling to do something, and he invited Daraku to join him. Daraku rubbed his eyes as if he was crying even though no tears came.

"Uh...yeah, yeah. I'll join you, Sye. But I need to tell you a story." Daraku put his hands onto Syekren's shoulders and gripped them tight, looking deep into his eyes. "I had a mission too, once. It was the reason why I left Suna and became a criminal in the first place. It was a misguided vengeance that only continued with every person I killed, because every time I eliminated my intended target, I still felt the void inside me and I needed someone new to blame it on. It wasn't until I had killed an innocent Iwa-nin, my grandmother, and my father before I realized that murder wasn't always the right answer, no matter how exhilarating it was in the moment." He let go of Syekren and felt himself faltering and the emotions nearly overcoming him, but remained strong.

"I'll join you on your mission, whatever it is. But don't go overboard. Don't let it consume you."

Syekren listened to his friend speak of Seiryu with a twinge of sadness. So he was the friend that Daraku had mentioned moments ago. Syekren had supposed that it made sense as we was at one point considered to be a Kazekage candidate. This made Syekren reconsider his stance on the criminal a bit. Maybe if Daraku was friends with him, then he couldn't be all bad? Syekren quietly rubbed his chin in thought at the prospect of it all. He usually followed orders blindly and judged people rather harshly because as an ANBU it was not his job to question whether or not the targets were good people. Syekren had never really considered how what he said would affect this friend of his and Syekren had looked him over a bit after this part of the conversation had concluded. Daraku seemed rather lost in thought and the more he watched his friend, the more Syekren wondered exactly how much what he said had affected the other man. He rubbed his eyes as though to rub away tears  before he had decided to speak again.

He had agreed to join the Uchiha on his journey but decided to tell a story first. He told of how he once went on his own journey and how he had become a criminal and left suna for that reason in the first place. It was a misguided vengeance that had put him on the path he'd been on when he and Syekren had met, and it continued even through every kill he'd obtained. Even after killing his intended target, a void remained that didn't go away until he eventually killed an Iwagakure no sato ninja, another who happened to be his grandmother. And finally even his father fell before his own blade. He had realized then that murder was not always the right answer, no matter how great it had initially felt. Daraku had put his hands on Syekren's shoulders to tell him this and when his speech was done, he seemed to falter and his hands dropped from Syekren's form to his sides once more. It was then he fully agreed to join Syekren on his mission, as long as he didn't go overboard and let it consume him.

"My friend. This is not for my benefit. It is a promise to my ancestor. To restore my clan and finish his work. The other mission I have is to fix our village, the only way I can see us able to do that would be to take out the elders. I know murder is not right, but they sit there in their manors, their offices, restaurants, caring more about money and filling their own ambitions than seeing their home prosper again. While the Kazekage should be doing something to help us as well, it is the elders who have consistently screwed us over at every turn, turning our village into the hive of wretched scum and villainy it is. They're always the common denominator. They've never been up seated once. I can't take it much longer."

Syekren himself was becoming overcome with his anger at how the village was being treated and how the administration currently in power didn't seem to care at all. He noticed this and began to calm himself, looking back towards the sky, shaking his head. "It was never meant to be like this. Never once did I expect to see my home become so distraught. This is not the future I wanted for myself, my friends, nor any family I hope to start."  Syekren clenched his fists and continued to stare at the sky. There was so much to do and so much that had not been done for such a long time that it was beginning to feel rather daunting over his head. He felt as though he was trying to take the weight of the world on his shoulders, even though these problems weren't even the largest that Sunagakure no sato faced. There was the problems of defection, killing other village ninja, only having two or three ninja above the rank of genin or chuunin in the village.. It was all becoming too much for one to bear. There were so many problems that needed fixed.

"I asked your help because I am one man, my friend. I can't hope to do this alone. I took on so many students just so that I could help our village improve. I thought more ninja would mean more hands to help. But all of them are so under trained, they'd probably die trying to pick flowers for the deceased. It's a sad thing to think on but it is true nonetheless. It is like the weight of the world is residing in the village. We're being crushed to death." Syekren looked down now, at the people who were bustling about below. Some had faces of a downcast nature, others seemed rather jubilant. All of them were overtly ignorant to the true problems plaguing the village hidden in the sand. No, not just the village. The entire country of wind was feeling the effects of the problems hitting them and the smaller villages in their neighbouring areas. There were a great many issues and it would take one man too long to fix all of them with the administration and daimyo trying to hold them back from improving the lives of the citizens. Something had to change, something had to be done.

'Every man is the hero of his own story.'

939|3,281

Training:

Syekren looked back at Daraku and assured him that his mission was not for his own benefit. He explained that the situation the village was in was more due to the elders than anything. The elders were corrupt, and they needed to be removed, in essence. It reminded Daraku of his family, of his father. Though Daraku had gone down a dark path, there was no denying that things had vastly improved since he had killed the man. Syekren sought the same thing for the village he cared about, and that was all. History was bound to repeat itself, it seemed, but the least Daraku could do was pick up where he left off and help guide Syekren...not that Syekren wasn't capable of doing things on his own. It was more for Daraku's own peace of mind than anything. Syekren added that he was only one man and despite everything he had been doing to make Sunagakure better, taking on more students and being a dedicated shinobi, he couldn't hope to do everything alone, which was why he needed an ally like Daraku. Daraku nodded. "Right. I understand, and I'll do whatever you need me to. Besides, it's been a while since I've done anything exciting. I could use the change of scene, not being stuck meditating in the forest anymore." And so it was settled, and the next chapter of their lives began.

"Well, I take it you're a busy man, so I don't wanna keep you too long. Besides, I have to go see my family and wash up, while I'm at it." Daraku knew that nobody had been needing him all the much in his absence, to be entirely honest. The Ishido were functioning just fine without him, and were a formidable people both in Sunagakure and out. Nonetheless, they had missed him, just as he had missed them too. Beyond that, he wanted to check up on other things in the village. Local businesses, old friends, training grounds, spots out in the deserts of Kaze no Kuni. He and Syekren would have plenty of opportunities to see each other again, especially now that they would be working together on Syekren's mission. Daraku asked his last question. "When will I see you next, old pal? And when will we be going out to complete this task?"

Daraku mentioned that he could use a change of scenery, anything would probably be better than being stuck in the forest, meditating constantly. He agreed to do whatever Syekren needed him to, which was all the Uchiha could ask for. Syekren stared at the setting sun, watching the village begin to get dark around them. The people below who were busy bustling to and fro were slowly being replaced with bar goers and patrolling ninja. The night time was always different compared to the day, as there were more dangers after the sun went down, so the patrols had to be increased. Syekren stared down at everything while he considered how he would go about doing his mission that he set for himself in the first place. Continuing the work of his ancestor, Hao Uchiha, was easier said than done. But the mission of improving the village and the lives of everyone within it was nigh impossible without going down the same path that Daraku had been on before. He'd become a criminal for his actions, while it did have an over all positive effect for those affected by it. Syekren knew the same could be said for what he wanted to do, but becoming a criminal for helping his village wasn't something he was sure he could handle carrying the burden of.

How did Daraku do it?

Daraku mentioned that Syekren was probably busy and he didn't want to keep him too much longer. Syekren didn't personally mind as he had nothing else to do tonight that was too pressing. It was when Daraku mentioned washing up and seeing his family that Syekren nodded along, agreeing that it would be the best course of action to wrap this up for the night. Syekren was ready to turn and leave when Daraku posed a question that he'd been mulling over himself: when will they be going to complete this task? The other question being when they'd see each other again. Neither of which Syekren had an answer readily available for. He considered for a moment, the best time to complete his mission. It would most definitely have to be when they two were ready. Well, Daraku was definitely ready after all his training, Syekren was the one who needed to be ready to do what was needed to be done. Soon he would be a jounin and then he would have to decide from there when he would need to stop letting these things go and take care of them once and for all. With a nod, he spoke once more to his friend.

"I'll have to send a messenger lizard to you when I'm ready, but I know I am not just yet. I'll train a bit more. Once I reach Jounin we'll have to try and put my plan into motion. We're going to up seat those elders, and open the way to the village becoming a better place for all. Not just those in power. With so much that needs done, the path of least resistance is key to getting them done expediently. To this end I think that when next we meet, I'll have made up my mind to take care of the elders. I do apologize, for if you follow me into this, we won't be able to return to the village for some time. We'll have to go on the run, probably as criminals for the good of the village. If you do not wish to do this again, I'll understand. You've become something precious to the people here. I, however, have to remove any obstructions to the village's well being. Maybe then the kazekage can get things done that will make our home a place of growth and rebirth again. We can only hope."

Syekren then jumped up onto the railing, looking down below. The wind would whip up again, giving his clothing a bit of a ruffling, but otherwise not giving him the cool effect he was looking for. With a sigh and a solemn vow to himself to do what needed to be done, he turned his head back to his friend, smiling softly. "Until we meet next, stay safe and trust no one with the details of this discussion. It's for the good of the village." With that he nodded and jumped from the railing, moving his form into a front flip as he fell. His feet came into contact with the wall of the building and he pushed off of it, rocketing towards another building. He did this again and jumped to a different roof from the second wall. Upon that roof he then began to run forward, jumping from roof top to roof top, heading towards the administration building to plan for what had to be done.

He would kill the elders, and he would help his home.

EXIT

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Training:

There was no definitive answer for either of Daraku's questions, which was understandable considering the indeterminate and potentially criminal nature of the tasks. Syekren assured the sage that he would send a messenger lizard (which Daraku thought was a very cute idea) when the time came, and in the meantime Syekren was to be promoted to Jounin, which was something that Daraku had never formally experienced himself, though he had been classified all the way up to S-Rank during his time as a criminal. Syekren apologized for getting Daraku into it, insisting that if they went through with it, that they might not be able to return to Sunagakure for a long time, essentially returning them to their glory days in the Aoi Bara. Dangerous, powerful, and on the run. It didn't sound so bad when Daraku painted it in the right light, mentally. The Uchiha finally turned, bidding farewell to Daraku and asking that he keep the discussion they'd had between them. Daraku agreed silently, nodding as Syekren jumped onto the railing and then left the scene in a front flip, an exit which Daraku applauded alone with a smirk. "The kid's out here doing front flips and shit. Impressive."

The walk back to the Ishido stronghold would have been tedious for any other ninja of Daraku's caliber, since they could've shortened it to a journey of no more than a minute, had they been running. Daraku chose to walk so that he could get a good feel for the cold, the nightlife, the tall buildings surrounding him, the sand between his toes flooding over his sandals with every footstep. Was this what it felt like to be home again? Or was home the feeling he had when he was a missing-ninja, with no allegiances or obligations, bound only by his own moral code and sense of control? Time would tell, because he would be experiencing both well enough in the coming weeks. He felt a lot of emotions and his mind was full of thoughts, but he didn't feel any fear or apprehension. If anything, the biggest emotion he was experiencing at the time was excitement for what was to come. Fear was a word that Daraku didn't know the meaning of, not anymore.

For the only thing he had to fear was fear itself, and the only thing everyone else had to fear was him.

[ bye bye ]

reunion AND training? two birds one stone, amirite?: