Takumi awoke with a start, he had recently returned from a serious mission and was still feeling the after affects that the job had on his body and mind. He rubbed his calloused hands through his short jet black hair and began to catch his breath back again. He could not remember the details of the dream except that it involved blood, and a lot of it. He threw the covers back and stood from his bed and looked in the mirror and saw the face of a man who killed for a living. Though takumi was not a fan of senseless violence he knew that what he did helped the village and for now that was enough to help him through the pain of what he does for a living.

He quickly grabbed his clothes from the open chest at the foot of his large king size bed. He took them with him to the bathroom where he stripped and stepped into the shower blasting cold water on himself in an attempt to wake himself up. He lathered his hair in a special shampoo that had no scent. This had become a ritual for him since he joined the ANBU Black ops. The reason being that as a ANBU he would be placed into situations where stealth would be key, and it would not be a good idea to smell like a tropical fruit smoothie when you are hiding.

As he stepped out of the shower he grabbed the clothing from the counter of the bathroom and walked back into his room. He yawned before looking back into the mirror once again, this time he saw a man of great strength and passion. He smiled as he watched his reflection in the mirror move in tandem with himself. After the mourning stretch session he began to get dressed in a pair of black leather pants, a Blood Red T-Shirt, And a Black overcoat. He made sure to walk to the closet and grab his two swords from the back. As he was about to leave he suddenly remembered his summon scroll. Takumi had recently made a deal with the chief of the hidden snake village to be able to summon aid from the members of the village. He quickly threw the large scroll on his back and stepped out the door.

He was in a decent mood now, Taku had been commissioned by the Tsuchikage to take a few peace offerings to konoha in a hope of building a stronger future together. He would be joined by his student motoichi as well. As he got close to the meeting spot he noticed a semi-large trunk on the ground next to a pull cart. Taku mentally face palmed and hoped this was not the delivery. He looked around but did not see Motoichi anywhere. "Well might as well relax while i can" Taku though as he sat down next to the trunk and began to meditate while he waited.

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Holding the opened letter before him, Motoichi's eyes grew wider with every line he read.  He was given leave to visit Konoha with his sensei, Takumi Senju, as escort and traveling companion!  The joy of being able to set off on an adventure, to see the vast world beyond the Hidden Rock village, beyond it's local areas and nearby towns.  This would be the very first time Motoichi would witness the rest of the Land of Earth.  Not only that, but the rest of the world!

Knowing that there was so much out there about the world that he would see and learn about, Motoichi decided to prepare himself for the journey.  Quickly he ran to the village's public library and demanded to be shown all the books they had on traveling and geography of the known world.  A stunned librarian soon came to his aid and lead him to the World Geography and Traveling sections of the library.

Laboriously, Motoichi surrounded himself with all relevant literature to the possible routes he and his sensei might take the following day as well as how to best make efficient time of their journey.  By the end of the day he had learned of just over thirty different routes for him and Takumi to travel on that would get them to Konoha.  Some taking only a a few days while others about a week.  It all depended on how much of a scenic route his sensei wanted to travel.

Satisfied, he piled the books together on the returns table and headed home.  The librarian from earlier was eager to close up shop as she hurried Motoichi into the night.  The day had long past while he had holed up inside the library.  Arriving home late that night, he burrowed himself deep into his bed.  A solid night's rest befell upon Motoichi and the rest of his recently learned knowledge quickly stored itself within his head.





Waking up after hitting the snooze on his alarm clock twice, Motoichi gingerly raised himself up to a sitting position on his bed.  A yawn, a stretch of his arms, followed by a brief scratch of his balls.  Mornings after a good night's rest were the best.

Cautiously he stepped out of his bed.  The cold rug bringing an odd wake-me-up tingle to his feet that wiggled its way up his legs, up his spine, and to his neck.  A shiver.  Motoichi then stumbled his way to the bathroom blindly.  Blind because his eyelids still drooped closed, not wanting to let the morning sun to disrupt his peaceful darkness.  A few more minutes of sleep felt good.  Maybe after peeing he'd go back and rest on his bed for a bit.  He'd set his alarm early today.  He'd have time.

Two shakes.  A flush.  Rinse.  Towel.

Retracing his steps, Motoichi successfully stepped over his overturned sandals that he had early stumbled across on his way to the bathroom.  Feeling for the edge of his bed with his toes, he nearly lost balance to the screaming shock of his alarm.

What? Where? How?  He scrambled, his knees falling forward onto the bed as he climbed across to where he remembered his alarm being. Smack.  Not there.  Thud.  Not there either.  Annoyed, Motoichi opened his eyes.  The sunlight stung his receptors for a few seconds as his pupil adjusted to the abundance of light.  There, near the front edge of his bed just next to his pillow, was his buzzing, blaring alarm clock.

"Oh no!"

10:30 A.M. read his clock as his fingers found the off switch.  He was supposed to have met with his sensei right now!  Eyes agape, mouth wide, and feet spread Motoichi sped back up and raced to his dresser.  Clothes flinging about, he quickly pulled together a long black-and-white sleeveless jacket lined with the same red of his wafuku, red hand guards of a Western style to match, a white belt to hold his sword, and black trousers and boots.

Dressed, he sprinted out the door of his ground-level apartment, glancing at his alarm clock as he shut the door.  10:37 A.M.  He had to hurry.  If Takumi decided to leave without him, there would be no way that Motoichi could try to catch up.  Genin were strictly forbidden from traveling by themselves.  He'd never get the chance to see Konoha, the village hidden in the leaves.  Never see the Kannabi Bridge or Tenchi Bridge (depending upon the routes that Takumi might wish to take).  His dreams of seeing the various sights that he had only just learned about the day before all seemed to be flying away from him.

Desperately chasing them down, Motoichi ran all the way to the meeting spot.  His hair all loose, having forgotten to wrap it up with the hair tie still draped around his left wrist, he came to an exhausted halt before a meditating Takumi.  Between his hanging bangs of dark auburn hair, Motoichi noticed a big trunk which his sensei sat up against and a pull cart.  With panting breaths, he focused on his sensei, the outline of a scroll strapped to his back while the younger, yet more experienced man ruminated before him.

"Apologies, sensei," Motoichi got out eventually, bent over with hands on his knees as he recovered from his run.  This was no way to start his journey and it looked like the burdens would only pile up with the sight of the large trunk and pull cart.  At least he'd have a place to put his small travel pack that he managed to pack as instructed by So You Want to Travel? A Guide for Beginner Globetrotters.

"So, what's with the trunk and pull cart?  Tell me that's not for us."  His eyes looked pleading as he wiped away the small tidbits of sweat that had permeated through his skin from his morning haste.  The heavy bangs of hair being flung out of his eyes as he stood straight, his breath calming down to slower, deep breaths.


Post: 1032
Travel WC: 600/600
432 words left

Takumi sensed Motoichi's approach before he even got remotely close to him, when he heard the sound of disrupted grass and panting he knew his student had arrived. "Apologies, sensei," Takumi stood dusting himself off "It's fine i have not been here long" He said with a faint chuckle. He grabbed his blades that he had removed from hid side before meditating and began to place them back at his side. "So, what's with the trunk and pull cart?  Tell me that's not for us." Takumi had momentarily forgotten about the box, he smiled and said "Oh yes the box, this is actually the reason we have been asked to go to konoha. The Tsuchikage has asked us to take this box of jewels and chakra infused building supplies to konoha in hope to improve there relationship."

Takumi walked over to the cart and smiled "Well we better get moving." He grabbed the pull cart after situating the box and began to walk towards the village gates. "I just want you to know this box is like a large bulls eye for bandits hoping for a quick grab, we may run into trouble along the way. That OK with you?"

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OOC:

"Like I have a choice," pointed out Motoichi.  They were shinobi after all.  Being 'OK' or not with an assignment was not going to do anything for either of them.  As shinobi, they were to endure.  "Though I do have a few routes we could take that are a bit safer."

He then went on a ramble of several different routes that he had memorized from the day before.  Two went farther south before heading east and into the Fire Country by way of the Tenchi Bridge while three others wound their ways to the northern Kannabi Bridge.  While he mentioned taking a side route in between the two bridges where a ferry crossing could carry them.  There wasn't a doubt in Motoichi's mind that Takumi already knew of most of these routes, but he felt like just mentioning them might impress his sensei.

The real worry was that Motoichi hadn't been in combat with another person, fake nor real, in a long while.  At least a few years.  Only a small wooden dummy and a wild boar were his most recent opponents.  If they did come across some bandits or thieves, would he be able to defend the trunk of supplies?  Or would he only get in the way?  Would he hold back Takumi, a shinobi younger than him but obviously way more experienced, and put both their lives at risk?

No.  Motoichi wouldn't be a liability.  This would be his chance to prove to himself, his sensei, and his village that he was prepared for whatever lied in his wake.  He kept this close to his heart as the two marched beyond the village's borders and travelled on through the path.  All the while, Motoichi's watchful eyes roamed around for any signs of impending danger that might cross their way.  With Takumi leading the way, his nerves were calmer and his eyes steadier.  Surely no harm would happen to either of them during this journey.


Post: 333
Total: 765

Takumi was impressed that Motoichi had done this much research on routes to konoha, Takumi already knew most of the routes there but it was refreshing to see that Motoichi was taking this job seriously. He thought about the available routes for a moment as he walked before saying "Well out of the seven routes available at this time three of them have been reporting increased bandit activity, and two more are closed to to a rock slide that happened a few days ago so we are only left with two choices taking into consideration our timeline and the fact that in a fight we would not only have to protect ourselves but the cargo to i think the best path is the one heading over Tenchi bridge. Keep in mind this might take a little while longer then the other path but the surroundings are open and there are not a lot of places to hide for a ambush. What do you think Motoichi sound good to you?" he turned after he finished and gave a smile to his student. He was in a surprisingly good mood today and was really showing it.

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OOC: As 48 hours have expired i am skipping Motoichi

Takumi took his students quietness as a sign that he was thinking and decided not to disturb him, he continued onward to the gates and finally left the village.



The trip was pretty quiet for the most part, His student was being oddly quiet but he had bigger things to think about then his students vocal issues. He saw a large village coming over the horizon and knew it was konoha. He walked up to the guards and showed then his papers saying he was delivering a shipment of jewels and building supplies and then taking a short vacation. After verifying it with the Hokage he was allowed in and he walked toward the inn to get a room. "Phew that was a long trip"

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As the two headed off, Motoichi kept his eyes about for the bandits that Takumi had mentioned.  Yet as he looked around him his eyes caught hold of the peak of Xiuhcoatl's Maw.  The more he looked, the more he felt the volcano pulling at him.  His memories from there calling out for his attention.

"I'll be going to see the volcano, Mom," little Motoichi called out as he headed out the door of his parents' quaint little house.  "So don't worry if I'm out late."

He shut the shoji as he left.  A soft farewell reaching his ears as he slipped on his sandals and headed out.  Today he was going to train on a volcano!  He'd always wanted to train there since he graduated from the academy but his parents always forbade it.  It took a lie that a jounin sensei would be there to help keep him safe for him to be allowed to go.  A devilish smile was written all over his face as he ran, giggling to himself.  What a trickster he was.

Now, with no one to think to stop him, Motoichi climbed his way up as high as he could along Xiuhcoatl's Maw.  Being only eight years old and just out of the academy, Motoichi found himself only a quarter of the way up the side of Xiuhcoatl.  It was there, as he searched for even ground to train on, that he came across Eichi Oshiro's dying body.

Motoichi blinked the memories away.  Things were different for him.  He wasn't another Eichi.  No, he was Motoichi Mitarashi.  He was helping his sensei, a jounin, take important supplies to the Hidden Leaf.  He was a shinobi of the Hidden Rock.  He was living with a purpose.

Then the next thing he knew, he and Takumi had arrived at the entrance of the Hidden Leaf. Takumi took care of getting the both of them approved and allowed entrance to the village.  After crossing the gate of Konoha's walls, Motoichi decided to hit up the closest town inn and get himself a room before grabbing a bite to eat.

He had arrived in Konoha.  The excitement of being in a new place seemed overwhelming and he couldn't contain his fast walk as he roamed the streets in search of a place to eat.  It wasn't long before he found a nice sushi place that had the most delightful wasabi rolls for him to gorge on.


Post:420
Total: 1185
Trained Endurance from D-0 to D-3 1175/1175
10 words leftover