The waves of the vast ocean would lap at old, barnacle covered wooden supports which kept the docks from being swept away into expanse. It was late in the day, and the sun had almost completed its descent into the nothing as Ting found herself walking briskly through the cool evening air. There were times that the young woman could not explain why she procrastinated her training until this point in the day, but at least she was keeping to her word and completing the “daily” aspect of that regimen. As she followed out her path to the end, passing up some rowdy fishermen and dock workers who were heading home for the evening, her foot would finally touch down upon sand. Konoha was not well-known for its beach of course, that was the island across the way, Kirigakure. A beach was a beach, however, and it would be just fine for her desired change of scenery. The somewhat unsettling fog  that had begun to roll in across the water was perhaps not what she wanted to see, though.

“Of fucking course.” the frustrated girl would mumble aloud as she noticed the upsetting weather phenomenon. Just over on the docks a late vessel would release its travelers onto the Konoha docks, most likely coming in from Kirigakure. Ting would hope not to be watched too closely as she took a meditative stance and began to stretch in the sand. She kicked off her sandals, preferring to be barefoot in the sand as it felt nice to her. Leaning down to touch her toes was easy, she was in phenomenal shape afterall. It was likely when she began to somersault and cartwheel in an agile manner, carefully landing on her feet before tossing some senbon into some pieces of driftwood she had earlier lifted up as targets. It was a rather athletic display, but nothing one wouldn’t expect of a genin. Ting, being overcritical as she was would memorize the flaws of the maneuver and pluck her senbon from each piece of wood. Once more she would repeat the maneuver, placing more of a push during her cartwheel to give her some airtime to throw the needles.

The scene would end in frustration as Ting was distracted by a figure in the distance, standing upon the water some way out in the ocean. She quickly forgot about her distraction as she slid face first across the beach, sand filling her mouth slightly and the fine grains brushing across her face to create tiny painful cuts.

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“You will NEVER know the discomfort and suffering I’ve know, Ting.” Yuna would think to herself as she watched her former friend attempting to make something of herself. It was like trash trying to climb out of the landfill and accomplish great things. The missing-nin wanted to be seen at least in part. She never truly hid herself exceptionally well. This was part of the game. It was part of the build up toward something great. Something final. Another presence had arrived, and with it a grin upon the observing Yuna’s face.

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521

The fog which had rolled over the area made it incredibly difficult to see effectively, and Ting may not have had the opportunity to see anyone making an approach. to a spell of deep thought. Daydreaming, and yet it was not at all day. Any young woman such as herself ought not have been out in this place at this time of night. The harbor was notorious for its under the table dealings which took place primarily after dark. Notably, Ting was not just any young woman. Though she had no confirmation of whether her training had been enough, she had at least held her own against the young man called Kashiki. His sadness and sudden surrender still gave way to a strange feeling in Ting. It was a feeling unworthiness. Had she deserved to pass on to the next round without putting down her opponent?

It was perhaps an important lesson and obstacle for Ting to mull through. A hallmark event to develop the young woman moving forward. More in the present, there would come an opportunity for Ting to more clearly see a figure with long black hair approaching from the streetside. Dressed in baggy attire which suited the weather conditions, they seemed to be going through at least a minimal effort to conceal their face. He would gain his first insight of the young woman as she spit at the ground frantically, using a water bottle from her pouch to swish and gargle the tasteless grains from her mouth.

The lack of awareness the young girl had of the danger which floated so effortlessly upon the horizon was astounding. Yuna was always just out of reach, and yet hiding in plain site. As the blue haired woman straightened herself out and cleansed away the sand, she made a decision within her mind to part from this wretched evening and take back to training at another time. A mouthful of sand and a rolling fog was all it really took to send the message that this was not her evening. It was when she turned toward the street that she would spot a figure on the almost empty street. One of very few people still out at that late hour. It was just in the moment she took witness of the yet unidentifiable, hooded individual that she would keep her head low and try walking just a bit to the right in an effort to evade him without seeming too obvious. Unfortunately for Ting, she would not be slipping away with such ease.

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