The sun overhead was beating down its harsh light on Yasunari, and although its wondrous beauty helped remedy the discomfort, he still sought shade in the arid desert. Alas, it seemed that he was lost; far enough from the main road that at this point the village was no longer in sight. He'd come to Sunagakure to refill his bag with brand-new top quality iron sand for his jutsu training, and since then he'd already mastered a third iron sand technique to add to his library. Despite having plenty of practice with the general use of his kekkei genkai, the Magnet Release, iron sand in conjunction with Ninjutsu was still a new field to him, and he welcomed the practice and training. It was a nice break from the long streak of Taijutsu training...not that he minded that, but switching things up was good too. After his training, he went for a stroll, and now there he was. He knew he shouldn't have gone that far, especially considering he was highly unfamiliar with Sunagakure no Sato's landscape. He'd been there about 3 times in his life, making it the village that he'd visited the least out of the five largest in the nations.

So how exactly was a simple man like Yasunari going to find his way back? There weren't many options, but he wasn't in a huge rush. He'd brought snacks and water with him for the trip and was well prepared to survive in the wilderness for days, if necessary. He continued wandering along in casual strides, taking in the view but also searching for shade, any solace away from the sun. A lone tree was visible out in the distance, amongst the dunes that rolled along like desolate hills, each solitary and monumental in the vast sands, each requiring much effort to climb past. It wasn't an impossible task, though; Yasu had discovered that few things in life were as difficult as they seemed, so long as the person approaching said challenge was determined. He was always a determined man, with motivation burning as a natural fuel to his heart pushing him forward to his goals. A single, unsuppressed light in the dark. He made his way past the dunes and half-collapsed to the ground under the makeshift awning of the small tree's branches, just enough shadow provided to keep Yasunari out of direct sunlight. He laid his head against the bark and yawned involuntarily. He licked his lips, and felt the cracked, barren skin. They were clearly chapped, and he reached for his water bottle, taking a grateful gulp and letting out a content sigh. As dismal as it was to be lost in a harsh wasteland, he couldn't help but be happy to be alive.

In no time, Yasu saw the sun meeting the horizon. It made the sky's warm blues change to blazing orange, and gladly enough, the smoldering heat and violent rays weakened until the area was hospitable, almost comfortable. He stood up, moving out of the shade and staring at the sunset with joyous eyes. He waited for night, when the air was cool and his muscles were relaxed, before scaling the tree and hanging from the thickest branch by his knees. His core tightened as it took on his weight. He placed his hands behind his head and pulled himself up before returning to the previous position and repeating. After 40 of those crunches were completed, he dropped to the ground to begin a few sets of push ups, all the while keeping his breathing steady and his mind clear. He was only wearing an open jacket and shorts, but the additional weight from the iron sand and the water canteen both strapped to his hips made the workout more thorough, which would only result in more muscle mass in the long run.

When Yasunari's exercise was complete, it was frigid and dark, so he leaned against the tree again and zipped up his jacket to keep himself somewhat shielded against the icy air. He figured it would be best to get up and go soon, so he could try and find his way back to Suna before it got too late. His breath was visible as a silver mist in the cold, and he was tired from his workout. His eyes scanned the dunes for any signal as to which way the village was, but his only guide was the brightest star in the sky, which he always knew was north.

Training:

When he had went out prior to the sun beginning to set, he already had the perfect plan in mind on what to do for the night that was ahead of him, and it certainly didn’t involve being out and about in the endless sight of sand. This night was supposed to involve Seiryū visiting one of his favourite bars, perhaps even a trip to the strip club would have been on the clock if time allowed it to be, but life had dictated his evening otherwise; perhaps it was his past actions, but regardless he needed to find some time away from the village for the time being. Some chuunin had went ahead and accused Seiryū of getting too close with his girlfriend, which was true to a certain extent, but none of it went beyond a friendly conversation between two strangers and a bit of harmless flirting. Yet a man could only see red when he heard otherwise, thus reason and the truth were easily identified as lies and excuses. It would’ve been some fun to get in to a brawl, but considering he had been cornered by the chuunin and his friends, while he barely carried anything save for a few senbon and a kunai, Seiryū knew when to turn tail and avoid conflict. So here he was, out in the wastelands that surrounded Sunagakure no Sato, an area devoid of life save that of the creatures that roamed the wild, instead of spending his time downing a few beers and conversing with other patrons.

As the sun was meeting the horizon, Seiryū hoped he’d be able to return back to the village before the night would begin to die off and everyone would seek a bed beneath themselves. A slight breeze picked up, throwing grains of sand against his back as he aimlessly wandered in the Endless Dunes of Kaze no Kuni. Perhaps it was because he grew up with the desert, but the heat of the days and nights never seemed to bother him at all, in fact it felt more normal than anything. He would kill for a drink right now, but he supposed he would be able to grab one sooner or later, considering the night was just beginning and he could make it back in time if life allowed it. He could feel the few items he carried with himself, a kunai and six senbon, yet he didn’t feel entirely comfortable with the weaponry he had with him, but then again, he assumed he wouldn’t have to come across an attack out here aside from a potential wild animal. A distant howl was heard, yet completely ignored, as he continued walking forward, whichever direction forward was – he could try identifying the North Star, a simple navigational skill taught in the academy, yet he didn’t bother with it at all. He knew the deserts of Kaze no Kuni well enough to make his way back if need be.

As his eyes began to adjust to the darkness that filled the sky, only being illuminated by the brightness of the waning gibbous moon, Seiryū could see well enough and not have to wait for his eyes to adjust as much as it would on a new moons night. He could see a single tree far off in the distance, one he had seen countless times before yet never really paid much attention to it. He supposed he could use the tree to his advantage, perhaps taking a short nap, before he would be in the clear and be able to go back to the night life that his home village had to offer. That also had him slightly wondering how the other major shinobi villages differed from his own, aside from the climate and the lack of sand they would have to offer.  The temperature of the night didn’t bother him much either, as it wouldn’t be the first time in his nineteen years being out and about in the desert sands.

When the distance between himself and the desolate tree began to close, Seiryū’s eye caught something off about it, well more like he spotted an unusual entity in the area. There was another person here in the Endless Dunes, what would anyone be even doing out here? As he closed the distance even further, details of the person began to light up from the light of the moon, but his curiosity was more placed in the area of why such a person would be here. While normal instincts would dictate to be cautions, Seiryū knew if there was a power gap between himself and the individual before him, he’d likely meet his end either way, thus he spoke up regardless. “Oi, you in the tree! Whatcha doing up there?” He raised an eyebrow, a slight grin forming on his lips, as he stood four meters away from the base of the tree so not to have to stretch his neck as much.

---

Word Count: 840

Yasunari's eyes had somewhat adjusted to the dark of the night but even then he didn't have the best vision around and could only make out shapes and silhouettes rather than solid lines, textures, and colors. He squinted like a madman at a spot in the dark, as he could've sworn it was someone approaching, taking long, tasked footsteps through the sand and moving ever closer to the tree he was situated on. He wanted to beckon the illusory person, but wasn't exactly sure if it was a human at all, so he kept his mouth shut until it came closer. Finally, the figure stopped its approach and went silent, in some sort of thought. Yasunari could make out that it was a person, likely a male by the looks of it, with medium length white hair and stark, violet eyes. “Oi, you in the tree! Whatcha doing up there?” Yasunari felt a bit relieved that he wasn't being hunted by an abominable sand monster.


"Oh, I, uh...I  got lost out here, and so I was exercising to kill time. You startled me, I didn't think anyone else was out here--I sure am glad to see you, though!" He jumped up and moved to the person, giving him a giant smile and holding out his hand for a welcoming shake. "I'm Yasunari, but you can call me Yasu. Most people do, mhm." He truly was grateful that this stranger had come, as now he wouldn't have to worry about the journey back. Or would he? "Wait. Why are you out here? And who're you, for that matter?" Yasunari was hoping that this person was friendly; otherwise, he'd have a long, lonely trip back without proper directions or a traveling buddy. His eyes were bright with the gleam of innocence and his smile was wide.

Training:

Looking over at the complete stranger that hopped on his feet with a hand extended towards him, Seiryū eyed the man before him, brow still raised and the grin remaining on his face before slowly fading away to a polite smile. Seiryū’s face was overt, his usual mask wasn’t present, as he had no need of it when he left his home originally – his mask would have no place at a bar. His attire consisted of his normal ninja garb, as it was the most comfortable and the bar he was going to, everyone would be dressed in their normal attires, as it was a shinobi only bar. Maybe, if he was smart, perhaps a more civilian populated establishment would’ve been more beneficial for his night, but it was too late to reconsider as he was already wandering the dunes. The individual before Seiryū had introduced himself as Yasunori (Yasu), and the lack of the family name easily becoming aware to his ears. Then there was the usual babble, questions on why he was here and who he was, it wasn’t surprising at all.

Looking once over the man before him and the outstretched hand towards him, Seiryū felt as if he had nothing to overtly worry about at this particular moment, then again, he’d be dead regardless since he opted not to bring a bow with him. With a friendly grin gracing his features, a glint of wonder in his eyes, Seiryū shook the man’s hand before him before relenting to the question he would have to answer. “The world knows me as Seiryū, though you have the honour of calling me Seiryū.” A light jab at the introduction that was presented his way, Seiryū wait a reasonable amount of time before pulling away from the hand shake and his hand went to scratch the back of his neck as he pondered how to tell the person before him why he was here, though a condensed version of the story would be more appropriate. “Well, as for why I’m out here is a little silly story. So, to save you the horror of hearing it, I’ll tell you the short version of it. Boys don’t like it when you get in to friendly conversations with women. So, to avoid being pitted against three people, I ended up here.” There was still the issue of this individual being lost, but he supposed he could lead him back to the village once an appropriate amount of time had elapsed; he had been followed to the village gates, that much he knew. “I suppose you could follow me when I decide to head back, after all the night is still young. Though, why choose to come out here when you could’ve been at the Sand Grounds or the Arena? That, was one thing that occupied his mind as most frequented those two areas for their personal training.

---

Word Count: 1335

The individual accepted Yasunari's handshake and introduced himself as Seiryū. Yasunari examined Seiryū more closely, paying close attention to his eyes as he spoke. He explained that he had a "friendly conversation" with a woman whose boyfriend was quite jealous. Thus, he was forced to escape into the dunes in order to avoid getting jumped. Sticky situation, to say the least, but Yasu thought it was funny. "Oh, so you were flirting with some guy's girl, huh? Sounds like you're the risky type. Either that, or you didn't know that she had a boyfriend. I'd say hiding out here was your best bet, so smart move there." Seiryū, after suggesting Yasunari follow him when he decided to return to Sunagakure, went on to question why Yasunari had come to the dunes to train of all places. It apparently wasn't clear that he never intended to go training, not in the beginning. "I didn't mean to come here, really, I was just on a walk. I came to Sunagakure to buy some iron sand for my ninjutsu training, since Kaze no Kuni is where plenty of products like that are sold at the highest quality. I was at the bazaar, then I went to check out the wilderness, and next thing I knew, I got stuck out here...and, uh, I have no idea how to get back. It's a little embarrassing, I probably look pretty stupid to you...but I actually got to catch a beautiful sunset and I got a nice tan, so it turned out fine."

Yasu looked down, admiring the slightly darker shade his skin had assumed. He wanted to come to Kaze no Kuni more often, the sun would work wonders for him and his appearance. He brought his eyes back to Seiryū's. "Y'know, I could help you out. With the guys that were coming after you. The two of us together could surely take them on. You look like a ninja to me, your clothes seem fit for combat. So am I right? Or is my assumption wrong?" He asked as he wrapped his left arm around his right and stretched. He hoped he was right, just so he could have someone else to train with while he was Suna. Then again, he wasn't even sure how much longer he would stay in the country; he didn't have a place to spend the night so he had previously planned on leaving earlier that day...that was the plan, until he got lost and now it was late.

Training:

The ability to piece the information that Seiryū had provided Yasunari wasn’t too difficult to decipher once a person knew of Seiryū’s personality. Thus, he wasn’t really surprised at the conclusion Yasunari received, but he had provided enough information for any intelligent being to deduce the same conclusion as the dark-haired man before him. But, Yasunari did conclude one thing; he didn’t know that the woman was spoken for, thus his current situation being in place. With a sheepish grin, Seiryū had a slight look of guilt on his face before it washed away. “Well, it would’ve went better had I known that she was already taken. I may take risk, but I know my boundaries when it comes to these things.” There was a slight pause as a mischievous thought came to mind, thus he spoke once more, before Yasunari could speak again, “Then again, if they are willing, who am I to deny such requests?” After finishing with the slight tidbit of information pertaining to his thoughts at the current moment, Seiryū waited for Yasunari to begin speak. Well, he did wait for to speak, though his attention span ended up ignoring half of what the man before him spoke of, likely due to not bothering to really care at the particular moment.

With an idle nod, Seiryū’s ears picked out the sound that escaped Yasunari when he offered to ‘help him out’. That, in itself, was an interesting proposition, though he already made up his mind at the mention of it. Though, he listened to the rest of what he was speaking, listening intently to him. “You are right in saying that I’m a ninja, however not at this particular moment.” Knowing he had to elaborate, Seiryū heaved out a light sigh before continuing, “I may be dressed for combat, but not fit for it tonight. I had no plans to really do anything related to that tonight. Well, also considering I’m a bit underequipped given my specialty, I’d much rather have a bow in hand before I even consider getting in to a fight. Besides, why get in to a fight when the night is made to be enjoyed by all?” His appreciation for the offer was clear, his nature for a thrill would’ve dictated taking the opportunity, but he’d much rather go out and grab a few drinks, perhaps even find a female companion, though considering how his night went to date so far, he doubted that would occur. At least the drinks would still be on the table. And, only if it happened, if they were happened upon by the guys going after him, he supposed he could fend them off – only if they found him. He really didn’t want to search them out. “Well, aside from getting in to a fight when it finds you and getting lost, what else do you do for fun?” He supposed he may as well be Yasunari’s acquaintance – if he already wasn’t – considering Seiryū assumed he was new, or at least not familiar with, the lands of the desert.

---

Word Count: 1862

Seiryū spoke in a comfortable, nonchalant fashion, explaining that he indeed was a ninja but he wasn't properly equipped for battle at that moment since he hadn't brought a bow. Yasunari nodded, wondering just how experienced his companion was with a bow; it was easy to assume that kyujutsu was a focal point in his combat strategy. He also wondered whether or not Seiryū was as much of a ladies' man as he came across to be; even if he wasn't, he was a hedonist of sorts, geared towards fun and drinking. Yasunari was never one who liked alcohol all that much. It had a pungent and dry flavor and it was bad for one's health...he preferred water. Social situations dictated alcohol as a central theme, but nevertheless, Yasunari had never had more than one drink at a time, let alone gotten piss drunk like many did from village to village. He shuffled through the sand idly and Sei asked him what he did for fun. It was a casual inquiry but Yasunari was nearly baffled by it, unsure of what to say aside from the obvious.

"What do I do for fun? Hmm..." He stopped moving about and slipped his hands into the small pockets on his shorts, taking a moment to think. "I spend most of my time exercising, physical strength and fitness is important to me so I maintain mine as best I can. I like sports and most athletic things, which ties into the fitness obsession. I'm also a ninja, although I'm rather new to it. Dropped out of the ninja academy when I was a kid back in Kumo only to come back much later, so I'm a 25-year-old Genin." The air was now freezing, since the lingering heat from the sun had faded and the sand was cold beneath Yasu's feet. As much as he hated wearing multiple layers of clothing and all that restrictive stuff, he almost regretted wearing such thin clothing and shorts. His unease was likely visible on his pristine face, as his smile slowly bent into a youthful frown. "I'm really not used to the harsh weather here...I don't mind warm climates, but the cold kills me. You live here in Sunagakure, right? Is this what it's always like?"

Training:

Seiryū looked at Yasunari with an incredulous look gracing his features as he took every detail in. The fact that he related just athletic aspects of life as fun, while great and all left little for Seiryū to accept the statement fully. There had to be something else aside from exercising all the time. Seiryū vaguely knew of certain individuals with an obsession with fitness, but they also had some other things they did in their spare time. Be it reading, dining, collecting, or just cloud-watching, there were other things people did aside from train all the time. Seiryū himself had been sick of training all the time, though that in itself was related to his past, a past he technically didn’t have at all. That thought pattern brought a frown to his face as he delved in a bit deeper. Before he could full commit to that thought pattern, Seiryū heard something along the lines of still being a genin, though he was in a somewhat familiar position. Then, he listened as Yasunari went on to ask about the weather of Sunagakure no Sato and if it was always like this. The answer to that was fairly obvious to the shinobi of Sunagakure.
 
“Well, that’s…. interesting.” In that he was referring more to the fact that Yasunari had only stated a single thing describing his free time, but he did not want to push further. It’d be rather unlike him. “As for the weather, you can pretty much guess how the weather is here. We are in a desert after all. Though, some days are harsher than others… Well, you get used to it when you lived your entire life with such weather” Shuffling a bit, Seiryū looked up at the sky to spot the moon, the sun’s rays completely absent from the sky, save for their reflection off the moon’s surface. It was probably a good time to start heading back to the village, finding a bar and taking a few drinks. Depending on Yasunari, Seiryū may have just somehow stuck himself in babysitting duty if he kept him company for some time longer, though it would be rude to leave him here. He had offered to take him to the village and courtesy stated he at least offer to get food or something. “I think enough time has passed. Want to head back to the village now? I doubt they would wait that long for me to return, they aren’t the brightest crayons in the box either.” The people he was referring to were easy to identify, even without names. “If you want, I’ll treat ya to some food. Besides, I’m starving right now.” And perhaps he’d even find some females to entertain later on. Though, he was doubtful due to how the night started.

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Word Count: 2340

After a description of the typical weather followed by a short pause, Seiryū suggested that they head back and even invited Yasunari to a meal. Yasunari weighed his options heavily; he sincerely enjoyed the company of Seiryū, whose collected (almost stoic) personality was amiable. The lonely part of him beckoned to Seiryū and yearned for the meal, backed by the physical needs that his stomach forced onto him. Even if he didn't accept the offer, he would be forced to either leave Sunagakure in the dead of night without any sleep or sense of direction or brave the night in an inn at the cost of ryo and leave in the morning. These weren't terrible consequences for staying in Sunagakure all day; he had enough ryo to spend on an inn, as he did so often, and sleep was never that much of a staple in his schedule.

Yasunari suddenly remembered someone whom he had promised to go visit in Kirigakure, and his plans changed. Nousagi's face flashed in his mind and his heart panged with nostalgic happiness. If he wanted to take a detour to Kirigakure to visit the boy, his return to Kumogakure would be put off for a while anyhow, so he relaxed. "Heading back sounds like a good idea. And y'know what? I just realized that I'm not really in a rush to leave Suna, at least not anymore. I've got another stop on my journey now, so I'll stick around here for the night and maybe tomorrow, too. I'll go with you to eat for a short while and then I need to go rent a place to stay..." He could always fit in more training or maybe a mission or two the following day, and he would write his parents and brother to inform them of his return being put off to a further date. They may have been disheartened to hear such news, but they could live without him for another week or two. It was almost strange how dependent they were on him when he had moved on long ago, leaving the bleak mountains of Kumogakure behind in the wake of his steps. If anything, he was more excited to see Nousagi than he was to see his parents, although he did love his brother.

More idle thoughts swam in his mind but he looked to Sei. He reached back and pulled his hood up over his head before returning his hands gently to his pockets. "I'm ready whenever you are," he said cheerily.

Training:

All things considers, Seiryū wouldn't have normally offered to eat a meal with another person, especially if he didn't get anything out of it specifically for himself, but he seemed faintly sorry for the person before him, mainly due to what Yasunari considered fun. Yet, Seiryū assumed there could potentially be more to it than that, but considering that Yasunari was not a resident of Sunagakure no Sato, he’d have little to no opportunity to prove his theory, though he’d much prefer the company of others that he could enjoy, but he’d make due for now. Turning to face the direction in which Sunagakure no Sato was located, Seiryū looked over his shoulder at Yasunari. “Well then, lets head on back. No point in dawdling around in the Endless Dunes with no sense of direction.” A gurgling sound was heard, and instantly Seiryū knew where it came from. With a sheepish grin forming on his features, “And my stomach agrees that it needs food right now” Besides, hanging out with Yasunari wouldn’t be that bad, considering he had no true friend in Suna, none that he could connect with on a personal level. He supposed Yasunari would make for a good acquaintance for the time being, seeing as how he’d likely wouldn’t be in Suna for much longer, considering the earlier detail provided that he was only visiting to buy some sand… whatever good sand would do to him, unless he was a Sabaku or if he had another purpose entirely with sand. Turning his face back to face forward, Seiryū began to walk at a moderate pace. “Well, lets get going. The food won’t order itself.”

---

Word Count: 2626

Seiryū looked back at Yasunari and affirmed that they should head back before making his way toward what must have been the path to the village. Yasu smiled on, half conscious and aware of his surroundings while the other half of him was off daydreaming of what he would do for the next few days. With every passing moment, the desire to see his family waned further and further and he contemplated why he even bothered maintaining a relationship with them. They were an insignificant remainder of what had been the only support system he had, what with his oldest brother and sister having died long ago. His parents were disconnected but he still loved them hopelessly as if one day they would return the feeling. His mood plummeted and he finally decided to postpone his return indefinitely. They could wait for him, it would make no difference. Yasunari was a ninja now, and thus he had a commitment to ensuring peace between the nations and enlightening himself during the time on that journey. He was something bigger than he had been back then, the depressed boy so in gilded in his own grief and self-loathing that he had left the world of the living and all the grandeur that it was worth. He wouldn't make that mistake twice and fall back into the rut of false bonds. He turned to face Seiryū, whose stomach had let out a pained cry for nourishment. He kept his eyes aren't to the man and found that he had a true friend, and he could make many more during his travels. Allies were everything, both as a ninja and as a human being.

"You must be starving, heh. I'm in the same boat, haven't had a full meal in hours. It'll be nice to sit down and chill, eat something good, hang out." He was curious as to where exactly they would be eating, but he wasn't picky. If it was edible, Yausnari would likely eat it without further question. Silence hung in the air and even the desert breeze had disappeared completely, leaving only a cold stillness. Conversation would be nice, so Yasu thought of something to say, anything to strike up this bond and make it better than those that he had before. "Tell me more about yourself. What made you become a ninja?" the words flowed easily but the conversation itself was almost forced, although Yasunari was interested enough. He followed closely behind Sei as he spoke to ensure he didn't get lost again.

[Exit Thread]

Training: