"Suichi, calm down. We're just going to be here for a few more minutes, then we'll be on our way to Kirigakure." The penguin didn't exactly know why they had walked in the opposite direction of the village gates and arriving at the door to someone's apartment, nor had Yuudai informed him why. They had cleared up and packed all their belongings from the hotel room, so it was clear to the flightless bird that they would be leaving the village, though his much taller counterpart never told him about the detour, putting him in a slightly foul mood on the way to the door that stood before them. His swords were on his person, his change of clothes were stored in the small backpack he was carrying. Clad in the outfit he wore on his first day in the Land of Lightning, his western stylized clothing, Yuudai calmly stood in front of the door he could vaguely recall from his first day here.

"Don't worry, it won't take that long, we'll be going to Kirigakure right after this." Yuudai was speaking the truth, that much was for sure. He just didn't know how he'd explain to Suichi why they were here, or the reason for them having an additional member to their party for the journey back. The information he supplied Suichi with was just general, nothing in any details, nor have any names been said, leaving Suichi in the dark about Haruto Himitsu. He never really could think of a way to bring it up, especially after the first, or rather second, day he had spent in Kumogakure. Reaching with his right hand, towards the door, he would proceed to knock, waiting on Himitsu to answer.

---

Travel word count: 297/600

She could hear the soft noises floating through her closed windows. The chirps of birds sounding as she buried her face into the fluffy pillow she was cuddling, pulling the large comforter around her even more. She was warm, and happy and still very warm, which pleased her greatly. She felt like she was cocooned in a little shelter were the world outside didn't matter and she had no issues to worry about aside from finding the utmost comfortable position she could lay on her bed in. Snuggling into the bed, she pulled her pillow just a bit closer. A few thoughts vaguely drifted through her tired mind such as her wondering what time it was, and what day it was and why she was awake at such an early time? Shifting slightly she felt something start in her left nostril, a ticklish, feeling that kind of burned at the same time. She sat up quickly, managing to throw her left arm over her face and bury her nose into the crook of her elbow and cover her high pitched sneeze. Shaking her head like a cat, she made a few groggy noises as she wiped her eyes. She stretched up to the ceiling in a leisurely way, right hand coming down to cover her mouth as she yawned, a sheer force of habit. From her mouth, her right hand would travel down to mindlessly scratch her tummy as she slouched a bit. She felt kind of wilted, not quite energized or ready to wake up and participate in the general things that life would require her to do.

Sighing softly, she got up, adjusting her the boxers she had worn to bed, as well as the tank top. She hadn't bothered wearing a bra to sleep, in her opinion, it was a stupid thing to do. Wearing a bra with metal wiring under her breasts to support said boobs while she slept? When she slept, she wasn't trying to look all that formal and presentable. She was sleeping, no one else's opinion mattered to her. Her plain g tank top was slightly worn, soft and rather baggy in the bust area, therefore a decent amount of cleavage was showing.... In fact, a lot of skin was showing compared to how she normally dressed. Moving with the speed of a sloth, she got up and went through her morning routine, bathroom, brush teeth, comb hair, wash face, knock at the door.

Wait what? Why was there a knock at her door? Making a soft grumbling noise, she walked to her door, feeling the sense of cold chakra, familiar even to her sleepy brain. Opening the door she stared blankly at Yuudai, sleepiness clearly showing on her face before she rubbed her eyes and spoke, "Oh. Good morning Yuudai-san." She said, slightly mumbling. Wait... Why was Yuudai at her door? Why did she feel another source of chakra to his side? Did he have Suichi the Penguin with him? She assumed so-- Oh. Oooooh. That's why he was here! He had found a teacher and finished his training and now they were going to leave for the Village Hidden in the Mist. Blinking several times she stepped back from the doorway, not really caring that she had answered the door basically naked. She was too sleepy to really care, or to really think straight, which is why she would reach her arms out in an attempt to hug him if he didn't shy away. Making a soft noise, she let her voice sound again, "Come in, come in. You can wait at the dining room table while I get changed, food is in the fridge, help yourself while you wait."

With that she would turn and begin walking back to her room, leaving him to step in and close the door behind himself. In her room she would change from her tank top and boxers into a casual pale blue Ao dai. Putting her boots on she grabbed her small bag of clothes and other supplies and walked out again. "Alright. Onwards. Let us go."

691/600

There was a brief moment he had to wait between the time he knocked to the moment that the door was opened, briefly startling him with what came in to view, but shook it off. It wasn't the first time, so instead he smiled briefly, knowing it wouldn't be seen. Suichi looked on curiously, clearly not aware of the relationship Yuudai had with this character he had never been told about. After her mumbled out greeting, gaining a sense that she had just woken up, possibly due to his knocking, Yuudai let out his own "Good morning" in return to hers. Noticing her arms reaching out, reminding him of the last time she had done the same, though voicing her want for a hug that time, he did that same again, though only briefly. Her comments about welcoming them inside, about the food was nice and appreciated, though not needed. "We already ate. Waiting will be fine."

As he was watching her walk back inside, trying not to blatantly do what he had done once before, Yuudai's eyes turned to the walls as he walked back in, Suichi following behind him. "I'll tell you on the trip back." Yuudai already knew what the penguin would be curious about; the relationship between his master and the blonde-haired girl clad in revealing clothing. Himitsu's living quarters looked the same since the last time he was here, not that he expected much to change compared to the last time he was here. It didn't seem she'd have many possessions she wanted to take, though he could understand due to the amount of time she spent in her current home.

The brief laspe of silence before the time Himitsu went to change and gather her belongings to the time she returned seemed immesurable. He could only vaguely remember how he had offered to take her with him, but he wasn't sure if there would be repercussions for doing this. While he did prefer good relations between villages, would Kumogakure and the Raikage consider Himitsu apart of their village? From the information given to him, the impression was that she was still a Kirigakure kunoichi. As she seemed fully prepared to leave, there were just a few question he wanted to ask before they would leave. "Before we head out, I'd like to ask somethings, just for the sake of being able to travel freely. While I know you are a Kiri-nin, you have been in Kumo for five years, I'd assume you'd need to let someone know about leaving. And, are you 100% sure this is what you want?" He just wanted to know if she was completely sure about this, not that he doubted her, but in case she'd have any regrets. Giving her the final option was something he wanted to offer her. "Otherwise, let's go." He'd wait on her, exiting the apartment, either for her to close the door on him, or close it behind her and go to Kirigakure.

---

Travel word count: 812/600

"Before we head out, I'd like to ask some things, just for the sake of being able to travel freely. While I know you are a Kiri-nin, you have been in Kumo for five years, I'd assume you'd need to let someone know about leaving. And, are you 100% sure this is what you want?"

She blinked a few times at him, gazing at him with a slightly curious look on her face. Her still sleepy mind processing what he had asked her. Who did she need to tell that she was leaving? She had already told her landlord about her moving, and she hadn't made any true friends in her short time in being awake. She hadn't learned anything about the cloud village, if anything she knew more about Kirigakure than this village. True, she had been a medical patient for five years, but, that didn't really qualify her as a Kumo-nin, now did it? Granted she had been assigned a sensei, whom she had only played met and greet with, but still. She knew nothing of this village. After a moment of racking her brain, she spoke, "The Raikage? I was assigned a sensei, but I haven't learned anything from him with the exception of his name. But yes, I believe Reika-sama should be told."

Now he was asking her another thing, if she was sure she wanted to go back to Kiri. If she was not sure, she would have told him that she needed time to think about it when he had first proposed the offer to her. She would have told him no, declining his prior offer at the dinner she had invited him out to the other night. She just didn't feel like she belonged in the village hidden in the clouds. Kirigakure was her home. She had grown up there, and as horrible of a childhood that she had experienced, she still loved her home. She was sure that she wanted to return. "I am certain. If I wasn't I would have declined prior to today. I would not have packed and told my landlord that I was leaving."

After a moment she walked back towards the door, her stride graceful even though she was fairly tired. "So, I heard you say something to the person with you earlier, were you talking to the Suichi you've told me about? I've been rather curious, you could say, seeing as I've never met a penguin before." Opening the door, she stepped outside, the cool mountain air hitting her face, ruffling her long blonde tresses in a slight way. The smell of the cold mountains, along with the regular soft flowery perfume that she wore made her smile. She was going to go home, finally after all this time. "Well then, come on Yuudai-san~ We have to stop by the administration building still before we go." She said, a smile could clearly be heard in her happy but gentle voice as she began to slowly walk down the path, waiting for Yuudai.

1213/600

Once he stepped out, Suichi waiting on the outside, Yuudai stepped away from the door, noticing Himitsu come after him. He just wanted to double check, to make sure she wanted to go along with him, he never doubted her choice, just gave her a last moment to think about it. If he was in a similar situation to her, he would surely want to return home, return to Kirigakure. She voiced out her lack of knowledge about his companion, the penguin, Suichi. She had never met one before, something that was understandable due to their preference for cold climates. The open air of Kumo entered his respitory system as he was now outside once again, this time turning to face Himitsu. "Ah, yes. That would be Suichi." Turning to the penguin, Yuudai motioned towards the third member of their journey. "Suichi, this is Haruto Himitsu, she'll be coming with us to Kirigakure, her birthplace." The penguin did a mock salute, though Yuudai chose not to comment on Himitsu's condition currently. "Himitsu-san, this is Suichi." Now getting the minor introductions out of the way, Yuudai turned to face the village, as Himitsu said something once again. So they'd be stopping by the administration building, to let the kage formally know of her leave, as she had been in the village for five years, though not conscious for the time.

"Well, then let's be on our way then." It seemed he didn't even have to say anything as Himitsu already began the trek down the short path, to the streets of the village. With Suichi in tow, Yuudai paced himself lightly, trailing a bit behind Himitsu unless she would fall in to step with him. Running his right hand through his hair, an attempt to settle it, though it certainly wasn't required, Yuudai let his eyes wander around the village. He had only seen this particular area once before, well twice, though the first time he certainly never paid much attention to the village. He could vaguely recall his way to the administrative building, the building where he first stopped by when he entered Kumogakure. Knowing it wouldn't take much time, Yuudai allowed his gaze to take in the village one last time. There wasn't anything for him to really comment on as they were walking, as he wasn't one for much small-talk unless someone else initiated it. Instead, he'd just be going with Himitsu to the administrative building where she'd let the Raikage know.

---

Travel word count: 1239/600

She smiled at Suichi. So this was the pet he had told her about, she wasn't sure what to expect of the penguin, seeing as he was the first of his kind that she had met. Blame her lack of environmental education, but books in Braille didn't offer much in terms of pictures. She knew of penguins, how they prefered colder environments, their flightlessness, and their affinity with water. She knew all of that small stuff, but it didn't substitute meeting such a beautiful creature.

Continuing down the path they were on, she fell into step next to Yuudai. Most of the time when she was walking along with someone, she fell back, refusing to take the lead simply because when she respected someone, she became submissive. This came into play with her walking as well, little things such as looking down and walking behind someone else denoted respect and submission... Or at least that had been how she was taught by her mother.

Soon enough they would both come to the front of the administration building. Opening the door and walking in, Himi would step up to the receptionist, state her name and the reason why she was here in the first place. The pretty brunette simply nodded and typed thing into her computer before telling them to go ahead and head to the Kage's office. Down a hallway, up a set of stairs, left turn and now they were in front of the double wooden doors to the office. Reaching out a tentative hand, Himitsu knocked on the door. If she was given permission to enter, she would step into the office and dip her head to the Raikage and introduce herself.

1527/600

The meeting with the Raikage was short and simple, nothing much truly happened. Then again, he wasn't paying much attention to the conversation being had, only adding his input every now and then and answering any questions directed towards himself. Yuudai had exited the building upon the conclusion of the meeting, with Himitsu probably behind him, she was, after all, the reason why they had to go to the administration building just a short while ago. Now, back on the main road of Kumogakure, the path leading straight to the village gates, and eventually reaching a harbor, they would make the journey back to Kirigakure no Sato. "Let's go." With those simple words said, Suichi trailing a short ways behind Yuudai, and Himitsu likely walking along side him as well, they would be back in Kirigakure soon.

She had talked to the Raikage, explaining that after five years of being in a coma, she wanted to return, and badly at that. After the short meeting, she exited the office and left the building, Yuudai in the lead, Suichi in front of her as well. Down the main road of the village and right out the gate. Home. She was finally going home. She was slightly anxious about meeting the Mizukage, but she would deal with that when the time came. For now, all she could think about was finally walking through the gates of the Village Hidden in the Mist.

[Exit Thread|Travel Finished]