He awoke at the crack of dawn to find himself in the smallish apartment of the Casino Hotel. He had been referred to the room upon entering, the hotel staff seemed very well prepared for their guests. The room itself was likely one of their cheaper ones, being small and having simple settings such as the single bed dressed with white linen. Still a sweet little room and an appropriate hole for the genin to reside temporarily. No doubt, the larger and highly extravagant rooms would have been reserved for the nobility that had flocked to the mountain to take advantage of the resort and casino. Fukai felt a small itch in his head when he thought of the noble spectators watching the fights. In his mind, the art of ninja was one that was made out of necessity, not some kind of entertainment for those born to wealth and position. Ugh. It was too early to think about such things, he would try his best to enjoy the comfort that he had been designated until he had to jump into the fray of the exams. The young man shook himself out of the slumbering state and moved to get ready for the day.

Fukai had made a promise to calm down and dissipate some of the pent up stress that had been accumulating, his supervisor had been worried about his performance. The purple eyed male left the room after dressing. He would make sure to eat later, it was a little too early in the morning for breakfast. He made his way down the hall, exchanging pleasantries with the odd passing staff. He sighed. He was required to be on his best behavior and exhibit all the appropriate mannerisms. "Tradition is important. It is what binds the villages together. The Chuunin Exams have a vital part to play in that regard". He had heard that utterance from his elderly supervisor at least twice so far. Personally, he did not see much point of most of the lengthy proceedings attached to the exams. At least it was a new experience.

He broke out of the hotel and headed towards the waterfall. Upon arriving, the resort area had been busy and so had the waterfall as it was one of the main features of the mountain. Fukai actively avoided the crowd so he had not yet had a chance to see what the fuss was about. The young man wrapped the blood red scarf around his face and held his purple clan clothes tight against his skin. It was a crisp morning, the sun was almost peeking over the horizon. The genin realised that it was earlier than it seemed as the sun would be visible earlier due to the altitude.

The path to the waterfall had seen some work, too. A decently wide timber walkway wove around the mount for a few minutes until it opened up to the reserve. The natural waterfall could be heard near but he could not yet see it. He could tell from the reverberating echo of the countless drops of water showering off the stone below.

[522]

Night time was now and it was sleep time for so many people but night time was now and it was inspiration time for the master of arts. Once who was so diverse in both ninja and civilian arts that he could speak poetry, write stories, paint pictures, and even control puppets. This person was Zennyo Ryuo and the time for inspiration was now. The young master sat down on his soft bed that looked like it was stuff with sheep skin. His back rested against two pillows and before him was a large book and in his hand was a pen. He closed his eyes as he inhaled and exhaled softly after which he opened the book before him unto a spanking new page. He placed the tip of the pen onto the surface of the page as inspiration filled him. A brand new story was going to fill this page and it was going to add to the many story collection of the story writer.

The cry of a baby filled the room as the mother smiled a little. After several hours of being in labour, she had finally delivered her baby and as the mid wife held it up to her, she could see that it was a bouncing male child. The mother and child were immediately cleaned up as they were brought to the father, over all ruler of the kingdom. The muscular and beardy man received his child and walked towards the opening. He was a man of valor, having fought so many wars he was finally eligible to tie his beard in a pony tail as all great warriors of the kingdom could and he was one of the first to do so. With the young child in his hand, he got to the opening with his wife by his side and below them were the entirety of the kingdom, all waiting for the arrival of the newly born child. “A new day is here and a new future is born. His name shall be El- rufai” the emperor would say while raising the child up for the whole of the kingdom to see. With a roar of happiness from the crowd, they would go on their knees and bow down before the child, the future emperor.

The emperor’s son would grow to know all that he needed to rule, training and studying for the future. The emperor would send for his brother, El- montaro, only those who possessed the royal blood were given the name ‘El’. El montaro refused the emperor’s request and the emperor had to go down to El- montaro’s house himself. The house was a shabby one that looked scruffy and untidy like no one had lived in it for years. ‘What brings you to my humble home, El- Dorao?’ the emperor’s brother would ask. ‘Why were you not at El- rufai’s announcement ceremony?’ the emperor would ask immediately. ‘Oh. El- rufai my nephew. It simply escaped my mind, your highness.’ ‘You had better get a hold of yourself’ the emperor would say while leaving the house. The emperor’s brother would smirk evily. He had been planning to be emperor himself and he was going to use El- rufai for this evil scheme.

The emperor’s son visited his uncle one day and they had a little chat. El- montaro saw it as a chance to put his scheme in play so he asked El-rufai if he had even been to the amazon lands. ‘but those lands do not belong to out kingdom and the savages live there..’ the young boy replied. ‘I know, I know but you see my dear nephew. To be emperor, you have to show your father that you are strong, that you can face fear and not shiver. If you can only make a trip to the amazon and come back, your father would see the real man in you. ‘wow.. thank you uncle’ the emperor’s son said as he left his uncle’s house. He went to the house of his best friend, Sindel. They did almost everything together and when he explained his plan to go to the amazon land, she refused saying it was dangerous but he convinced her that they would not take too long. The young girl agreed and they went to their mothers to say that they were going to play. A guard was assigned to them and they began their journey. El- rufai and Sindel cooked up a plan and executed it as they were finally able to outsmart the guard that was assigned to them.

The two children wandered into the amazons and they were pursued by the savages. The guard found them but he saw that they were in danger so he ran back to inform the emperor himself. After chasing the children for so long, the savages finally cornered them and got ready to gut the younglings. ‘If you lay a single hand on my son, you’ll never hold anything again with those hands’ the emperor’s voice boomed through the amazon. The savages went on their knees and cowered in fear as they heard the emperor’s voice. ‘We are sorry emperor, we never knew that he ws your son, we promise never to get near him again, ever.’ The savages said as the emperor let them scurry away. The emperor’s son followed behind his father with guilt on his face. As they walked home, the emperor did not scold his son but rather he lectured him on what it took to be an emperor.

The emperor’s brother was angry that his plan did not work and he lashed out his anger on the savages. He laid low for some time before he finally came up with another plan. He went in search of the emperor’s son and once he found him, he told him that his father needed to see him in the purple valley immediately. Once the emperor’s son got there, he would be surrounded by a group of savages and on the other hand, El- montaro would have informed the emperor that a group of savages have ganged up on his son in the purple valley. The emperor and his brother would rush down their and fight to protect El- montaro but the emperor would be killed in the process and the young boy would run far away because his uncle told him that the people of the kingdom would say his father died because of him. El- montato took charge of the kingdom and he let the savages rule too. El- rufai trained and survived in the outlands and forgot about home. One day, Sindel escaped from the kingdom and accidentally found El- rufai. She explained everything that was happening in the kingdom but El-rufai refused to come back.

After hearing what had become of his mother, he travelled back to the kingdom to regain his throne as emperor. He fought his uncle and explained to everyone that he did not kill his father. Once El- montaro was defeated, the savages turned on him and killed him and the kingdom was safe once again with El- rufai as the new emperor.

The puppet master placed a full stop at the end of the story and closed the book. He put off the lights and went to sleep with the thoughts of him living an El-rufai life. Dray woke up pretty early in the morning and he knew that he had not applied for any mission but still, a shinobi was always on duty. He got out of bed and had his bath while dressing himself. His new style of dressing left his chest exposed as he loved to feel the cool breeze slap against it. The dressing was fashionable and Dray loved it that way. He picked up his scrolls and kept them in the pockets behind the top of his trouser which was exactly around his belt. He climbed the stairs downwards to the living room and entered into the kitchen as he got himself some sliced breads and made himself a cup of hot tea. He had a quick break fast and he relaxed for his food to digest. He exited his home and locked his door as he headed to the one place that seemed to be any fun in this festive period, Mount. Ikkyu. He was not sure if he really wanted to go into the hot springs, have a feel of the cascading water or even climb to the top of the mountain and drink from the source of the waterfall but he was sure that once he got there, he would figure out what to do.
WC:1427

Taking his time, the large male paced his way whilst marveling at the well crafted bridge and all the top notch setup that seemed to manage to cater to all tourists that would visit the mountain. He could admire the amount of preparation that had gone into getting the event and all the secondary things that came with it ready for the rush. Fukai could see that the Chuunin exams had been successfully marketed by the organisers. Whether the event should be monetised was something that troubled Fukai, taking advantage of the tradition was no doubt a sound economical stratagem but there was something that just did not sit right with him. There was also the opening of that Golden Horn casino, a place for those with means to throw it away. The whole shebang was a little insulting to his and the other entrant's efforts. He decided that it bordered on blasphemous. Ok, maybe that was an over exaggeration but it certainly took tacky to the next level.

The genin sighed as he contined down the path, the sploosh of the waterfall increased in volume and took on the sound of a roar. He chose to walk a smaller path that led up into the mountain, accepting the hike up the stone steps. Most people would opt out of this climb but Fukai had been traversing the mountain country of his home for his entire life. His clan, infact originated from high up in the mountains. Up until the age of 12, he had resided there up in the ranges. He was used to this altitude although it did bring back some memories...

_
Eleven year old Fukai stood across from his downed opponent in the clan dojo. This match had taken place during the end of year presentation of the martial arts team. This was a compulsory bukijutsu class that most clan children were entered in. He was easily the biggest, strongest and most skilled in the class. Every fight resulted in victory and the accumulated esteem from the community. He was born to a lower class family but his successes raised him and the perception of his family up.

As he panted and sweat, the onlookers clapped. The kid's parents came to watch the display as it was a very important event. None cheered harder than Fukai's mother, her child looked at her while growing a smile. The young Fantomusodo admired and loved his mother greatly, her black locks cascaded onto her deep red scarf. His sensei, who was watching the match, stepped in and bent down to his level. His crinkly smile hidden behind a fuzzy grey mustache. As was the norm, Fukai had spent hours with him improving himself this past three years and had bonded with the kind man. He was more of a father figure to him than his own absent father. Fukai's father was constantly either out on an expedition or holing up in Iwa as he was part of the villages main forces. His father was no spectacular ninja, not making it far past chuunin during his career. He had only a few memories of the man, and did not feel any connection to him.

The boy looked out at the faces of the audience. His friends and their parents, giving their congratulations while envying his prominence. A purple haze spread through the room, poison gas infused with chakra. The faces curled up as the attack hit them. It was near instantaneous, bodies keeling and writhing as the chemicals singed the skin.
_

Ugh. Why did he have to slip back into that mood? He was not one to dwell on the past and had dealt well with the troubles that followed in his own time. The sound of the falls had brought him back to the present. The rock walls on either side of the path started to open into a clearing. It was a small viewing platform that looked out over the falls and the landscape below. It caught his breath and threw it out into the wind. Water raged past about 5 metres away as the platform was halfway down the falls. He could see right out to the sea from here, Kaminari no Kuni stretched out to meet it. It was truly a stunning scene and well worth the trip. The sun had barely risen not long ago, covering the land in a golden hue. The main viewing platform below had a few early birds on it but on his own, he was alone.

[759] /1281

Dray would get to Mount Ikkyu, the area with heavenly water spirit. The lake that bathed in the light of the moon and the waters that cascaded with the roar of a thousand lions. It was a pleasant sight from the entry point, he had been to this place quite a number of times but he did not seem to get tired of it. Every time that he had come here, it was not on purpose and it was as if he was being drawn here for one reason or another and each time that he came here, he had either met someone familiar or become an acquaintance with another person so there was no doubt that his reason for coming here today would soon surface. The young shinobi walked well into the Mountain area. He could see the hotels and other buildings that had settled some metres away from the base of the mountain for the viewing pleasures of their customers and he could not deny the fact that it was a perfect plan. Sitting out at night with all nerves relaxed, the full moon glowing at its brightest, the petals of trees falling onto the gleaming lake and the gentle roar of the falling waters filling the atmosphere with a cold wind breezing around lightly. Oh, how beautiful such a night would be. Dreams of a world where only things such as lakes, and trees and flowers and others exited. Where the shinobi system was absent and no one ever felt obligated to any thing, not a vllage not a kage and not even to themselves. He could suppose that such a world was impossible as of now but sooner or later, a major change that would shake the foundations of this current shinobi system to its core would soon arrive.

He stood there while taking in all that there is before he would keep on walking by the lake side with the mountain only few metres away. He was much different now, seeing as his once green hair had gone completely black due to the hidden cloud village’s adaptation process and he even had a more simpler dressing style other than the long green cloak that usually hid every thing about him. Nobody would be wrong to confuse him as some other person but if they had truly met him before, then a certain resemblance would strike them because if the only thing that they saw during the time when he wore his green cloak was his eyes, then they could very well identify him because those black eyes did not seem to change. Dray looked into the lake beside him as he walked and he wondered if the lake was inhabited by any aquatic creature because swimming in this lake was like bathing in spiritual glory itself. Dray looked at the distance from the top of the mountain to the lake, it was a risk that he was willing to take. Jumping from the top of the mountain into the lake, the fun was certain this morning and he could feel his adrenaline pumping up gradually. Dray would get to the base of the mountain as he would check out the rigid structure of the mountain that would make climbing easy.

Without wasting any more time, he would climb the mountain with ease like he had once done and get to the top of the mountain. From a certain spot that looked like a viewing platform, he would spot an individual looking downward. He wasn’t sure if this person was actually planning to do what he had in mind, jumping into the lake from that height or if he was merely taking a view of the surroundings from up here but whichever was the case, Dray would walk towards this person with hopes of approaching him calmly. It was only morning and Dray would not want to spoil his mood.
WC:656

Green pastures lit with the light of dawn grew out from the base of the mountain. They stretched half way out to the sea where the rolling wilderness took over. The dense brush was mountainous in it's own right, peaks of varying heights reached for the sky above but from here up on the top of Mt Ikkyu, these points looked more like mossy gravel. There was a noticeable bite in the passing wind as it whistled around the mount, it brought the type of cold that pierced right through your clothes. Fukai wrapped his scarf close around his head, its blood red threads doing little to shelter him. Purple eyes continued to drink in the view, appreciating exactly why the first people had come to the mountain. The roaring waterfall surged past some distance to his left, taking thousands of litres down to the lake below per second. Visitors had already started flocking to the viewing platform that would undoubtedly become standing room only come midday.

Two boisterous kids chased each other around their parent's legs, chittering as the fresh water spray energised them. Fukai looked down on them from his view point above. The family quite clearly had money, the parents dressed in clear white silks and even their young charges were better dressed than himself. He was supposed to be the pride of Iwa, the one and only Chuunin Exam contestant that represented the rock village, but here he was, a notched and worn hard oak second hand bo staff as his weapon. When it came to celebrity statuses, the higher ups were pleased to associate themselves with him and would no doubt claim his future successes as part of their own. And if he should fail, well, Fukai expected them to forget all about him and ignore his presence. The latter scenario did not sound too bad to the purple eyed shinobi, but he did not plan on throwing in the towel just to get an easy life.

He would be lying if he said that the prospect of meeting and fighting all sorts of ninja from around the continent did not tingle his bones or make his heart beat faster or make his eyes lose focus. In all reality, he was looking forward to the experience and whatever hardships it had to offer. He had been training hard and the thought of maybe being able to have one last chance at a tournament. He had been in many while he was a kid but assumed that that time in his life had already passed and that he would never get even a taste of it back. I guess I always have my memories..

Fukai smiled into the horizon. Whatever has happened, whatever was to happen, in this moment he was happy.

Realising this came as a surprise, he had never thought of himself as being truly happy for many years. Maybe it was because he had finally left Tsuchi no Kuni and started travelling the world. A few months ago, he had realised that he wanted to see the world and experience culture and diversity. What is each country like, what is their people like? He had lived for so long in the backstreets, under the thumb of the criminal overworld and the corrupt that he felt a yearning for fresh air. Maybe it was here that he had finally found that. He had noticed the distinct difference in atmosphere in Kumogakure, it had a strong smell of serenity down to it's roots. It was true that he had been here less than two weeks but he had an impeccable nose for this sort of thing. He was a little jealous of the cloud village and what it offered his residence, he wondered if Iwagakure could become something like this.. Maybe he could make it so. But to do so, He would need both strength and influence.

Fukai felt a presence approach from his eight o'clock. Flicking his head up to meet it, he saw a young man approach. He was obviously a ninja as he was light on his feet and had a powerful physique. Fukai did not recognise the man that had attacked him on that night, months ago, although there was something oddly familiar about the dark shadowy eyes that met his. Fukai smiled at the newcomer. Good morning. He would then move to the side to make room and then lean on the railing.

It's a beautiful morning, isn't it. Say, are you a traveler or a local? Fukai offered polite interest and pleasantries to Dray.

[770] /2051

Dray evaluated the possible reactions he could get if he approached this man. He moved calmly and not in any way sneaky. He was being open and there was nothing to hide at all. To any one standing on the top of the mountain known as Ikkyu, it would seem as if the skies were just an arm’s length away seeing as they looked so close but only when one tried to reach for them would they discover that sometimes, the skies could be so deceiving. Dray would not see it as the fault of those who see the sky as close because both the weather and climate condition in kumogakure were not to be trusted. Dray had learned that over the time that he had stayed in the hidden cloud village. There was hardly a perfect day because what one would see as a perfect day at first could end up with the streets of the village being flooded.

The man Dray was trying to approach soon noticed somebody coming behind him and he turned to lean on the railings as he looked at Dray. The expression on his face was a warm one but like most other things, it could be a fake. The warm expression was the first thing that caught Dray’s attention before he finally had a good look at his face. He was surprised at how small the shinobi really was. This man before him was the man he had fought back in the land of stone on one night of a full moon. The fight was pretty interesting seeing as Dray had to employ some large scaled attacks just to prove who was superior but ever since then, Dray had gotten much more better and he doubted that this young man remained the same because on that night, Dray could very well see his passion to win, the passion to prove that he was not just some loser considering the fact that he was not even prepared for the fight. It was a feat that Dray acknowledge and the man was able to land an hit on Dray too, another feat which he had achieved on that night but ever since them, these two have not met each other.

The chances that they were later going to meet in the hidden cloud village was very little and Dray had never thought of it for once but here they were, looking each other eye to eye and this man had no idea who Dray is. He had reason not to remember because Dray was very different in every possible way that this man had known him. “Good morning, it is a beautiful day isn’t it” the man would say to Dray and ask if he was a villager or a traveler. The thought of the man being a genin crossed Dray’s mind seeing the way he fought back then and Dray wondered if he was here for the chunin exams that was being held in the hidden cloud village. “It is indeed a beautiful day and good morning to you too.” Dray would reply while resting on the railing beside the man and looking straight with the man in a ninety degree angle to his right. “So.. what brings you to the hidden cloud village, Fukai Fantomusodo?” Dray would say while turning to stare the man in the eye.
WC:568

He had managed to lul himself into a daze this morning, the mountain air and fresh spray revitalised his spirit. Fukai had finally managed to calm himself down and release all that pent up pressure. His stress blew away, little by little as each gust swept over the platform. The scene, sea and sun was a treat for his eyes. The genin could stand and watch all day. He may as well, seeing as he had nothing else to do today. Arriving a few days before the first round started, he had time to fill which was unusual for him. Usually, every minute of free time was taken up with some sort of training or mission but he did not want to work out at the present time as he didn't want to get overtired for the event.

Fukai had turned to welcome the new figure with a pleasantary. He let his good mood show with a glad little smile. He had also asked the young man whether he was a traveller or a local. The man did not answer- his body language seemed a little more solemn.

"So.. what brings you to the hidden cloud village, Fukai Fantomusodo?"
The Iwa nin stood up straight as he heard his name be called. Turning to face and examine the new arrival with a more professional face, he realised that the young man obviously had the build and attire of a ninja. Fukai did not recognise him but he obviously knew his name so maybe he had been sent to him on some sort of business. But that couldn't be right, anyone who was requesting his attention for a formal reason would not open up dialogue with a question such as that. A personal inquiry as to his reason for being here without the knowledge that he had been entered in the exams.. Who was this guy and how did he know his name?

Like most shinobi, Fukai was not one to readily give out any information about himself but he was here on a very public matter and there was really no point in concealing it. In return for his compliance with the question, he hoped that the man would enlighten him on his own identity. The smile was gone, and the discerning gaze returned. The entrance of the man had abruptly snapped him out of his trance of relaxation. Lengthening his spine, he rose to perfect posture. I am here to participate in the chuunin exams. Tell me, who are you? Do you have any business with me?

That black eyed look seemed somehow familiar, those piercing eyes..

[440] /2051

The young man beside Dray was now very professional. He expected that from anyone because why would someone just suddenly called his full name. Dray was enjoying this and he was just about to get started. “Business? Oh no but I think you might have some unfinished business with me so tell me Fukai, do you still think only monsters confine themselves to shadows?” Dray would ask first after Fukai had asked if he had any business with him. “Do you still hold bitterness for the purple scars that covered your body due to that incident?” Dray would say again without giving him time to answer the first question. “I want to know what you have become since that time, Fukai Fantomusodo” Dray would conclude as he would then stare him in the eyes with an unwavering look.

He remembered how the man had fought with zeal, the undying spirit that mad him stand up even after receiving several blows from Dray. That night under the full moon, Dray felt the person that lived inside of Fukai. It was a beast with immense power waiting to be let out but it was not just any beast that was meant to bring about destruction rather it was a beast that would emerge so that all would acknowledge it. The thought of Fukai coming down to Kumogakure no sato to perform in the exams was pleasant to Dray’s ears and he believed that the shinobi could do it but that was if he had strived to get better since the last time, if he had not relented on his efforts to become stronger. It was all a matter of if he would remember that mysterious young man in that dark bar that took him out in the open and fought him to the end but let him go away with his life. If Dray had wanted, he could have ended Fukai’s life that night but to be honest, was there any gain in that? He hardly did things for selfish reason and he was well known for his brilliant judgment. Day by day, his wisdom continued to grow and his mastery in his field of specialization broadened. Now, back to Fukai. Dray would listen to his response or continue to give him the story bit by bit till he would have heard it all.
WC:394

Fukai's eyes widened as he came to grips with who he was talking to. He stood there, in shock as the young man before him started retelling familiar words. The same dialogue that he had with the stranger called Zennyo Ryuo. He uncharacteristically let go of his composure for a few seconds while Zennyo finished his questions. Coming to grips with the situation, he tightened himself up once again. He could not believe it that the same man from that night had found him. The same closed and cloaked figure that lurked in the night now stood so open, bathed in the morning sunlight. The two meetings were ever so different, he could not sense exactly where this encounter was going to go.

Zennyo Ryuo.
He wondered if he should be expecting aggression due to the last experience but that seemed wrong somehow. The young man did not seem to want to fight, his body was still but Fukai was not one to take any chances,knowing the unpredictability of Zennyo first hand. Then what did he want.. About half a minute of silence, he focussed on the words that had been used. He was asking if his views had changed since their last meeting, if he was still the same man. What have I become.. It was a difficult question, the answer was one that he was not sure about himself. If anything, he had obtained more questions then answers since that time. Monsters and shadows, scars and bitterness, it was all unimportant now.

But he had no intention of letting him know of his uncertainty at this point in time. He ignored the man's questions for now, maybe he would loosen his jaw if Zennyo was to answer his first. Tell me why you have tracked me down in this country. Do you wish to settle things or is there another reason. I do not believe you have just come here for a chat, so out with it. His tone was calm yet confronting, his purple eyes had grown the black vertical line through them since that time and were staring into the oppositions black. He had grown in strength significantly since that evening and was more than prepared to defend himself if need be. The wind and water seemed to quieten as if nature respected the gravity of the meeting. Maybe this was because Fukai's focus was solely on the man that stood across from him, ever sense was trained onto any action that he should take. This was surely an unanticipated turn of events on top of Mt Ikkyu.

[436] /2487

Looking straight into someone’s eyes without blinking could warrant certain facial expression and that which Fukai would express would be known in a matter of seconds. As expected, the young man’s memory stick seemed to have loaded as the shinobi widened his eyes definitely because he now remembered who he was talking to. He had processed the words that Dray had just said and most have cross searched it with all the words he had ever spoken or heard in his entire life. It would not be hard before he figured it out because Dray’s pattern of speaking was very poetic and distinct. It was one of his gifted arts. Silence followed as Fukai seemed to observe Dray for what he had become. He had every reason to do so because the current him was much different to Fukai than the previous him. In a very short summary, the previous him was always covered head to toe, secluded and spoke logically or indirectly while the previous him as Fukai was seeing is opened and lifely and still not speaking straight so at least there was still something in common.

The gentle wind of the mountain breezed past the duo as the roaring of the waters below gave life to the almost still situation. Dray finally lifted his gaze as Fukai composed himself to speak. He asked Dray why he had tracked him down to kumogakure and if he wished to settle things with him. The question was indeed one worth asking because the actions of that night happened all too fast and the only interpretation was that Dray had intended to kill Fukai but such was not the case. He was merely testing out his arts. He who asks a question surely wants an answer and Fukai was going to get one for his. “I have to admit, our meeting here is just a simple coincidence just like our last one was and to say if I tracked you down to this village, that’s simply ridiculous because if I had wanted to settle things, I would have done so long ago.” Dray reached for one of the pockets of his trouser and brought out his head band. He did not like putting it on too much since he just got used to it recently. He took up the head band and tied it firmly around his head and turned to Fukai so he would see the symbol on it. “A ninja of the cloud, that’s what I am, Fukai Fantomusodo.” Dray would say to Fukai and expect his next reaction.
WC:435

His gaze was returned, the tension between them thickened the air. A coincidence, huh? That would mean that Zennyo Ryuo did not have any sort of business with him and that they had met again in some sort of twist of fate. It was true that he did not seem hostile, a non violent composure was held. Fukai did not know what to think. The man in front of him was an anomaly in the usual flow of things. He watched on as a Kumogakure headband was pulled from a pocket and wrapped around his head. This signified that he was a ninja serving the village hidden in the clouds. A Kumo nin..

I see. Fukai spoke but did not mean his words, not quite understanding their current position. You serve Kumogakure, yet you were in Iwa and randomly attacked one of it's own. Seems like a risky move, some may say an act of war. For some reason, Zennyo had been in Iwagakure and had turned on a local. Fukai stepped back and relaxed a little, leaning back on the platform railing. The situation was confusing but at least he wasn't completely in the dark. Knowing a little of the mystery man's origins gave him a small comfort. The sun was clearly above the horizon now, the warm orangey colours faded into the clear light blue of the morning. At this altitude, the clouds seemed quite close as if you could jump up and scoop out a white clump of cotton. It would be a fine day today.

A few families and couples had joined the onlookers below, the tourist spot would be flaring up by midday. A young boy skipped up the path that he had traveled up this morning and poked his head around the rock to see the two shinobi conversing in a rather tense manner. He was a young boy no older than 9 but he still knew not to interfere in a ninja's business. A private conversation between two from different villages was probably not one to be overheard. Fukai noticed the boy but would turn his attention back to the coincidental meeting. He would need a little more information about Zennyo before he could let the past go. Tell me, why? He would leave it that for the moment and see what he had to say.

[397] /2794

“You serve kumogakure yet you were in iwa and randomly attacked one of its own. Seems like a risky move, some will say an act of war.” Fukai would saw while resting on the railing once again. He now seemed a bit relaxed having heard that Dray was not here due to any business with him. Could his actions really be considered an act of war? Of course not reason because when he was still in the land of stone, he was a neutral shinobi with no origin or having any affiliation to any village or any person. He had recently joined the hidden cloud village so even if he had been captured in the land of stone, his action would not be able to be traced to anybody or anything. It would appear as a self action which indeed it was. He tried to remember why exactly he had attacked Fukai. It was not as if he had a short term memory but his views seemed to have changed from his previous views. His former self was one without a home and without a purpose. He merely acted based on what happened every minute. He just felt like seeing what Fukai was made of. If he truly had the power to save himself from whatever danger came his way. Fukai was not the only person that Dray had fought with while he was in the land of stone. He had also fought with the one who claimed to be the phantom eye warrior and as testimony to Dray’s skills, he left the man hanging by a branch of senju wood- mokuton. He had no reason to attack anyone. He only wanted them to know who was supreme between them both but all that was in the past now. His current self could wreck havoc by the words that came out of his mouth or by just pulling a few strings. If he got really adrenaline filled or he just wanted someone to realize that their failure was inevitable, he could control his puppets without any strings from his fingers at all while leaving them to wonder where the strings were coming from or if there were even any strings at all. The change that his body and soul had undergo these past few years was a great one but the mission of finding out who he truly is had not been completed yet.

“why?” Fukai would say wanting Dray to give him a reply. Dray wondered if Fukai should know that Kumogakure was not his origin. He wanted if it would change anything. As far as he was concerned, he was a shinobi of the cloud and nothing would ever change that but he was unsure at the moment of what to say to Fukai. It was unlike him to be confused in most situations but this one seemed to be a bit different. What move was he going to make? What was he going to say to Fukai? “The past and the present are two different things Fukai. All you need to do is discover the little difference that seems irrelevant between them and you’ll have your answer.” He knew that his reply was not straight but Fukai had already known that since their last meeting. The last time they met, Dray looked like a loner with not even an head band to identify him as a shinobi of any village but now there was. The two people were very different just but there was something linking them together just like past and present and it only took focus to notice it.
WC:606

That's all that there is then.. and all that there ever will be.

The past and the present are two different things Fukai. All you need to do is discover the little difference that seems irrelevant between them and you’ll have your answer.
That reply said it all and seemed to be typical of their interactions. Zennyo spoke in circles, never explaining a point or cutting to the chase. He was obviously one who communicated with high context, that is to say that these large grandious statements were enough for him and he thought that they should be enough to provoke understanding in another. Fukai on the other hand, communicated in terms of low context. He required a straight forward and thorough explanation if he was to understand what another was trying to say. Their difference became quite evident after only a small amount of talk. Fukai had asked for a direct answer to his question and Zennyo had not complied, to his knowledge. He probably would have thought that this was enough but for Fukai, it really wasn't.

Fukai stopped leaning on the railing and stood up straight to look Zennyo in the eye one last time. He then would hop with a small movement onto the railing. about a meter and a half up. I guess that is all I am going to get from you. Very well, until next time. With that, he leaned back and let gravity take him away from the awkward encounter. He began to fall towards the waterfall and then body flickered away. His figure would disappear from mid air not alerting the people below. He wanted to leave as quickly as possible and due to the strange kumo nin being between him and the path, the quickest way was down.

They were two people that seemed just too different to ever understand each other. Fukai did not know of Zennyo's background but was sure that it was quite different from his own. He did have trouble relating with others, he lacked social skills from his years of isolation. Only over the last few months had he broken this cycle and had begun what would later turn out to be a metamorphosis of character. Indeed, he was a different person to the one on that night.

Fukai did not hold resentment for the attack, he had realised since then that that particular night was one of the many experiences that had made him what he is today. It had given him a taste of life threatening battle and had made him stronger. It seemed that they were just two individuals moving along, they had collided, changing and imprinting on each other. But could they ever be more than that? It seemed that it would be simply too hard for him to deal with people such as Zennyo Ryuo. But who knows, fate had pushed them together twice already, maybe there would be more to this in the future. Maybe next time they met, the pair would have changed yet again.

[511] /3305
~Exit~

Training:

Dray wondered if Fukai would understand all that he had said. He knew that he was not speaking straight but he was sure that Fukai might grasp what he actually meant. Fukai took a few minutes to try to figure this out but he seemed to stop trying to  think and that was exactly what Dray was expecting. The more Fukai thought of what Dray had said, the more he would get entangled in the mysterious words of the puppet master so the best solution was to stop thinking about it for a while and the answer would present itself. So now Dray knew that there was not really much for any of them to talk about anymore unless Fukai still had a question to ask but he doubted that because the young man would only get more confused. Fukai stopped leaning on the railing and stood up straight to look Dray in the eye. He hoped unto the railing about one meter and a half from the ground. “I guess that is all I am going to get from you. Very well, until next time.” Fukai said as Zennyo nodded and gave Fukai a little salute in a joking way. He had loved seeing Fukai but he could not much express the joy since he always liked to behave professional and he had not fully warmed up to other people. Fukai leaned backwards as he let gravity take him below. He fell towards the water fall as he body flickered away. It was not much of a surprise to Dray since he knew that technique but he had not seen any one perform it so it was nice to actually see some one do it other than he doing it and not seeing what he was doing. He disappeared from the scene while leaving Dray at the top of the mountain.  Dray held the railings and he looked away into the void that enveloped his vision but then he began to see beyond the normal, the many little settlements far away that looked like little clusters.
Kumogakure no sato, the village hidden by the cloud, a village in the land of lightning and also founded by the first raikage. It was a village worth serving and the shinobis were cooperative. This village had accepted him when he had no where to go. He could have wandered around the shinobi world if he wanted but the village hidden by the cloud accepted him as a whole and made him into a fine shinobi. It was five of the great shinobi countries and Dray had been to one other which was the land of stone that was ruled by the tschiukage. The village’s setting was perfect. It was located in a range of tall mountains and the cloud above shielded it from the sun. Dray rested on the railing to spend a few hours there as he reached for his ninja pouch and brought out a small book. He had been reading up on the history of the cloud village. He could not truly be a shinobi of the hidden cloud village by just pronunciation alone, he needed to prove it to those who enquired and he needed to know how the village came to be. He opened the book and continued reading it. So it was founded after the warring states period by the first raikage and this and that as Dray continued to read the little book. Dray took a few hours to get down every thing that the little book contained. He had actually gotten the little book from kumogakure’s library. It was so little that many people would not consider it relevant but he just decided to check it out and the book happened to contain a great deal of things. The past raikages and all that they did. The most recent was even the raikage Reiko who was loved by all. She was said to be a mother to all of the villagers and they loved her very dearly but she was killed silently in the middle of the night or something relating to that. It was really a sad story and Dray could not help but feel a little emotion. The book even went on to give a few details about the current raikage sama. His name was Sanousuke, something that Dray himself had not known not heard ever since he had gotten to kumogakure. It was truly a nice discovery and he would certainly hold unto it.

Dray assimilated the rest of the information that the book entailed as he returned it back into his ninja pouch. He looked below at the waters that were flowing steadily. The morning had already become noon and Dray felt that he should go  home and rest for a while. He gathered chakra unto his feet as he slid down the mountain. It seemed fun and he did not seem to attract any unwanted attention. It was a nice morning and the thought of seeing Fukai Fantomusodo had certainly made him happy. Dray changed his direction as he headed towards the village at a certain pace. He got to the village gates and entered into the village without any hindrances. He exchanged pleasantries with a few people that knew him and greeted him and he walked straight home and calmly. He got to his home and it was exactly the same as he had left it. Dray opened the door and walked straight it. A shower would be best and after then, sleep was inevitable.

WC:929
Total wc: 5015
Exiit

training: