After such a ling journey to reach the site of the chuunin exams, Keigo felt it was a good time to relax and soak his body in a nice bath. Since he hadn't had the chance to check into a hotel yet, that dream was not possible at the moment. He heard whispers that there was a resort with hot springs in the area, so he knew he had to go check it out. Keigo made his way to the special location and what he saw had took his breath away. "So this is were the main attraction is being held." The scenery was amazing definitely put together to leave an ever lasting impression to whom ever were to see it for the first time ever. A waterfall was the main attraction while the rest of the resort was like a side attraction to complement such beauty of nature. The idea of taking a dip in the hot springs created shivers through his spine just thing about it. With out wasting any more time Keigo took off for the springs, a smile on his face. His first impressions of Kumogakure was a good one, especially with the site of mountains all already also made it feel even more secure and the clouds floating around with the sun shining just behind, it reminded him of an abstract painting.

Keigo finally made it to the springs excited to take a dip. "Hmm lets see ah there goes the entrance." Keigo decided to book a room so he could get some sleep right after he left the springs. The receptionist was very kind and got him a single room with ease. The first thing to do was to head to the room and change into his trunks. Keigo made it to his room to change and was surprised how nice the room was for the price. "No time to waste." He left for the springs in his trunks, looking forward to warm himself up. "Amazing so these are the famous spring." Keigo walked up to a spring sticking one foot slowly in getting used to the temperature, finally soaking his whole body in. "This feels amazing."


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This place was a bit futher out than he expected, at least the walk felt longer than it should have taken, as he knew the location of Mt. Ikkyu, a resort built atop a mountain, decidedly a tourist attraction. As a native of Kumogakure no Sato, Haruo had no real reason to truly visit the resort to simply see the tourist attractions, as he could so such a thing at almost any given time when his mind willed it. Though, there was something about visiting the mountain during the period of the Chuunin Exams, as they crowds were far thicker and the people from the other four shinobi nations, along with the ronin that found their way here as well.

Haruo heard various things about the resort, the most apparent being the waterfall that was across from the main hub of activity. The other thing that slightly fascinated him was the talk of the hot springs that were able to “restore a person’s youth,” yet he doubted such rumours were completely of truth, as he found it a bit hard to imagine. He supposed it was due to the feeling one got from the hot springs that made them feel revitalized and full of energy. As he reached the place hosting the hot springs itself, he knew there was one of two was to simply get in; one was to rent out a room which would grant one access to their hot springs. While the other was for those who were staying elsewhere yet still wished to attend to the springs, as they would simply have to purchase entry in to the hot springs, which Haruo had just done so himself. Perhaps he’d be able to see what else the resort had to offer, particularly from the excitement bubbling from the Chuunin Exams.

He had reached the springs, towel wrapped around his waist, breathing in the fresh air. He blinked, noticing the hot springs wasn’t too crowded, only with a few people here, simply enjoying their time. Most people he noticed were fairly older than himself, though one person certainly seemed around his own age, a blue mop of hair covering his head. Supposing the person wasn’t here for talking, but rather taking in the feel of the hot springs, Haruo sat a comfortable distance away from the teenager; roughly a meter and  a half away, as he stepped in to the hot springs.

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In a trance from finally being able to enjoy the springs the young uchiha boy was filled with nothing, but happiness. The spring waters touching his skin sending tingles through out his entire body causing a some what exotic reaction. Keigo layed deeper into the spring leaving nothing, but his nose and the latter half of his face above water. Stuck in such a trance Keigo thought about how he would enjoy the rest of his stay besides looking at the exams. Maybe enjoy a nice juicy steak from the resorts restaurant and maybe a massage after that. This was a rare time he had a chance to enjoy himself at such a high class place or maybe it was just because Keigo never experienced such luxury and this was just normal for any resort. Even if that was the case it was good that he could step away from any training and be in a stress free environment. Getting the chance to leave home was a good choice for the young uchiha to experience the atmosphere of a different land from his own. If he wanted to grow as a shinobi this was perfect to expand his view of the world and leave the bubble he keep himself contained in. He wished he could have brought his younger brother with him, but his parents did not feel comfortable letting there baby boy go out to such a faraway land, which was very understandable. Keigo was pretty sure Daichi would enjoy this just as he was at this very moment.



"This is the life." Keigo thought to himself still soaking in the water. "Hmm it's getting pretty hot." Keigo's face started to show was in an uncomfortable position right now. The uchiha quickly stood up in the spring gasping for air. He spent a little to much time deeply soaked in the spring. "Aww crap that was close i could had been a boiled lobster if i didn't notice i was being cooked." Keigo wiped his forehead with his forearm to try to stop water from dripping in his eyes. As Keigo stood up from the spring he noticed a person next to him as he looked at him from above. " How's it going man."

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The feeling of the hot water against his bare skin caused him to release a sound of pleasure. Seated in the hot springs, the majority of his chest submerged in the water and everything downward as well. He leaned back in his spot, his back lightly hitting the stones behind him, though the impact soft enough for it not leave a single scratch upon his body. Haruo’s eyes remained closed as he took in a deep breath, enjoying the warmth his body was currently feeling from the water.

His mind was distracted by thoughts that had no impact upon his life for the time being. The first thought that hopped in to his mind once his lids had shut was regarding the Chuunin Exams, something he’d only be able to watch as he hadn’t signed up for them. He wondered how things would be if he had taken things seriously, if he had actually considered entering the exams themselves instead of wasting time each day, simply doing nothing of true importance. Maybe, right now, he’d be getting ready for the first round of the test; the one where one couldn’t truly prepare for it, yet could anticipate what kind of obstacles one would face. Would his sand be helpful in such situations? What of his gourd? That’d be a sure-fire way to give his position away, though he supposed more confrontational situations were better suited for him, though he didn’t prefer combat much either. Another thing he briefly thought about was taking a nap in the hot springs, though that would be a horrible idea, for he knew if he truly took a nap here, it’d cause his skin and organs to basically be cooked from the heat of the springs. A sigh was released, knowing he’d be in and out of here in the span of twenty minutes at the most.

His ears perked as he heard a noise coming from above, his emerald eyes shooting open, darting from side to side, looking for the source of the individual asking him a question. It took a moment longer than necessary, but he found the source, the blue-haired boy that had been just a meters away before. Blinking a few times, Haruo looked up towards the individual, hesitating slightly, mainly still recovering from his stupor. “Eh… I guess it’s going fine?” He answered, though his true answer lay in how his body felt in the water. “This place sure is relaxing. I’m surprised I haven’t come here before.” He released a light laugh, as he had only visited the majority of the places located within the borders of Kumogakure no Sato. “How about you?” He asked out of courtesy, genuine friendliness appearing on his features. A small smile played as his lips as his head lowered from the other male and gazed straight ahead, his lids slightly hooded.

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It was always nice to converse with others, since you never know what type of things you might learn from them. This world was vast with people experiencing life different from others. The young uchiha was at a point in his life were every conversation and decision would be key to how he viewed himself and the world around him. The problem with the young uchiha is that he lacked the world's experince. Proof of that was the fact this was he firsttime he stepped foot upon ally land.

As a shinobi you must know your ally and your enemy to survive in this world. The career of a shinobi has no definite scale, just the scale of today and hope for tomorrow to come. Keigo wanted to become the best he could and protect those he held close in his heart. This experience was key for him growing into a well known ninja and up hold the uchiha name. He wanted to have as many allies from all parts of the world, because that was something his father taught him to do.

As Keigo was staying in kumogakure he noticed many people creating bonds with others and he was lacking on that part. He did not focus to much on that aspect and only focused on himself physically and mentally. Now was the time to break that cycle and grow more allies for future endeavors to come his way. He new in his heart no matter what he would become the ideal ninja and he would reach that ideal. The young uchiha eyes shined bright over any opportunity he had to create bonds that would last no matter how far.

"Yea this place is amazing i never knew Kumogakure was such a beautiful place, i'm pretty disappointed in myself not expecting this much from an ally that was holding the exams." Keigo was glad he had a chance to chat with someone new. It was not long since he made it into the country so talking with some one that was in a relaxed state of mind such as himself was a good feeling.

The young uchiha looked at the boy with a smile wonder where he was from. This was a good chance to make an ally out of the person, also they seemed to be around his age as well. Keigo stepped out of the springs to dry off. "By the way whats your name?" This would be the great opportunity to create an ally for the young uchiha. He was slowly growing as a ninja.

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Haruo once again leaned back in his seat after he had answered the question the stranger asked him, the simple question of how Haruo currently was. While small talk was always occurred in similar situations before, though minus being in the hot springs, Haruo doubted it would beyond simple pleasantries, for people were often occupied by their own business, something which Haruo was lacking personally for he remained in a state of limbo, between being a shinobi and a civilian. The Akemi both enjoyed it and despised it for all the same reasons. The time available to him was endless, yet with that endless amount of spare time came nothing to truly do each day, for each day he had to find some way to kill time, at least until he pushed himself to truly aspire to become a shinobi.

He nodded imperceptibly as the strange blue haired individual spoke up, answering the question Haruo returned back to him. As a resident of Kumogakure no Sato, and having seen the a lot of the land in Kaminari no Kuni, Haruo knew of the various sights one could see, from the highest of peaks to the lowest of ravines, though he still had quite a bit more to see still. For as much land there was, Haruo had barely seen more than half of what his home country had to offer. The places within the vicinity of Kumogakure no Sato were the ones he knew of, for he had been there numerous times in the past few years. The further one got from the village, the less Haruo had actually seen, for there was still a bit of sheltering he dealt with his travels, even when accompanied by his father or mother. The red-head released an “Ah,” in  response to the unknown teens comment about the country Haruo called his home. Though his roots traced elsewhere, to Kaze no Kuni, he had been born and raised in the Land of Lightning, thus it being his home no matter the origin of his ancestors.

Haruo leaned back, his head angling towards the other teen as he asked for a name, a smile gracing the stranger’s face. The sabaton user returned the smile with a friendly one of his own, still seated within the spring while the other got out to dry himself off. Haruo met quite a few strangers so far to date, from other countries, and the chances of this one being from another country were quite high. At times, Haruo thought the people from other villages vastly outnumbered those allied to Kumo. “I’m Haruo.” He offered his first name, for the person was a complete stranger, and the chance of seeing them again was low. “Nice to meet you!” Haruo supplied with the kindness he showed the majority of people. The other would likely offer a name without Haruo needing to ask for it, as it was just something Haruo expected when a conversation followed a similar path in past experiences.

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As Keigo stood there drying himself off he had asked the guy you had met his name, just in case he were to run in to him again or the slim chance of this person being some one who could be a huge asset in the future. In this world you never know were destiny would place you and someone else. Keigo despised destiny because it was not so kind to the history of his clan, but as his father always taught him that destiny is just another wonder of this beautiful world that we live in.

Never the one to question his father the young uchiha just accepted those words from his father. Maybe one day the boy would learn to accept destiny, but if he could he would want to break these chains that puppeteer us on a daily.

Just for the moment Keigo felt as if destiny was his friend today, but he was pretty sure that feeling would go to waste sooner than later. As the young boy spoke his name as a response to Keigo asking for his name , the young uchiha turned to leave while he was drying his head off.

It was good he met someone knew away from his village even though it was a very vague meeting to the point were they couldn't even call themselves acquaintances, but it was a start for the young uchiha as he continued down this path of the shinobi while gaining allies among the way to accomplish his dream. The young uchiha turned to smile at the boy once more to give a proper response since he was kind enough to give Keigo his name at least.

"My name is Keigo." The young uchiha boy felt it unnecessary to disclose his full name since he was not sure how the rest of the world viewed the uchiha and truthfully the uchiha did not want to know as of yet. "It's nice to meet you as well Haruo." Keigo turned to leave the spring, so he could head back to his room and get some rest. He wanted to be well rested so he could explore as much of the village as possible before the exams were over. Before he left he wanted to say one last thing to the boy he meet today. "I hope our paths cross again, you seem like a nice guy." Keigo left the springs off to rest in his hotel room.

~~~~Exit Thread~~~~

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"My name is Keigo."

That would be another name in the list of names that Haruo would try to remember, though he’d be able to recognize the face far easier of anyone he came across over the name. For the young Akemi, he’d be able to identify this Keigo easily due to one simple trait that stood out to Haruo’s eyes, for he had never met anyone else who shared a similar trait. If Haruo ever assumed he crossed paths with this Keigo in the future, he’d be able to recall this meeting, the hair at the very least, but a name was far easier to forget if contact was scarce. When taking in to account that the majority of individuals who were in the Land of Lightning were, in essence, tourists, and the likelihood of him meeting anyone of them after the conclusion of this year’s exams were slim at best. They’d all return to their homeland or back to wandering, for ronin, thus any other meetings were limited to the time from when the exams began to the conclusion of the event.

Haruo would try his best to be able to recall the name of everyone he came across, though that was asking for the impossible, especially when he knew next to nothing about the person except the colour of their hair. So far, that was all Haruo had learned. That the person’s name was Keigo and he was foreign to the land Haruo and his family called home. With all this in consideration, the likelihood of Haruo actually remembering the name was practically non-existent, unless he got to know the person better. Yet, this situation didn’t provide for such circumstances to occur, for Haruo had seemingly arrived here a few minutes ago, and he could only presume the other male was here much longer than Haruo. As good as the hot water felt, prolonged exposure to it wouldn’t do anyone any favours. As if on cue, the blue haired male had bid Haruo a farewell with a statement saying that their paths could cross again. Though what the circumstances behind such a meeting could entail, he didn’t really know. “Maybe one day.” He replied, relaxing further in to the water, telling himself he’d stay in the water for at least another ten minutes before departing.

Perhaps after finishing up here he could figure out what to do with the rest of his day, as he had absolutely no idea how to kill off the rest of the day, aside from having lunch, dinner, and taking a nap someplace comfortable. There was the option of exploring the rest of Mt. Ikkyu, as he hadn’t do so yet, for the Chuunin Exams brought a whole load of outside resources to it, having the majority of the shinobi world in one place.

Idly, he wondered how things would have been like for him if he had chosen to participate in the Chuunin Exams and get promoted that way. It would certainly be a daunting task, for it would not only be his opponents that he would compete with, but also the mental doubt that occasionally rose in his mind. Haruo being stagnant as a shinobi for so many years and not having trained as much as others would pale in comparison to them, likely making himself to look like a fool if he had chosen to participate. That and he had no real techniques beyond the simple ones taught to him by his mother. Perhaps, the time to change all that was coming. For now, he needed to get out of the springs.

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