In the early morning light, Ginza gave a great sigh as he stepped outside of the walls of Konoha. He moved a few meters away before stopping to give a great stretch closing his eyes, lifting his arms up by his sides. It felt slightly like his body was becoming freer just being outside, sort of like he'd been in a box and was finally out of it. He’d been cooped up within the village walls for far too long lately, so it was good to finally get out into the wilderness. Konoha was good about keeping everything a good building to greenery ratio, but it still wasn’t the same as outside of the village walls so Ginza needed to get out and about every now and then.

Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, that really had no difference from the air found in the village, though it seemed like it, Ginza let his arms fall down to his side. He then opened his eyes again before heading in the direction of the rolling hills. It was time for a day of exploring and relaxation out in the lush fields. Well, mostly, at least. He did have a purpose for going outside of the village, as he usually had a purpose for most things that he found himself doing, even if the main goal was to relax. He wanted to search for certain plants and herbs for use in the future.

He had been reading a book about historic traditional organic medicines and was curious about whether they had any worth behind them. In these modern times, Ginza of course, was a firm believer in modern medicines and the use of medical ninjutsu. Especially since he was at his base a medical shinobi himself, and training to hopefully be a help to the medical core. But he couldn't help his scientific mind's curiosity  and wanted to do some experiments to see what results he was given.

So as he moved he kept his eyes out for the plants that the book had described, ready with different bags in his pack to pull them so that he could take them home and replant them in the little inside garden that he’d built for them in his tiny apartment near the window. It would be difficult to keep them alive inside, but he had confidence that he would be able to tend for them well enough to keep at least most of them alive. If they wound up dying he’d just use it as an excuse to go out of the village again to gather more. It wouldn’t be a bad thing at all.

A few hours later and he found himself by one of the little streams that fed into the ground and gave the hills the ability to have such lush life. It had been a good few hours. He’d found a few of the plants that he needed and they were now carefully stored in his bag with the little shovel that he had gotten. His hands however were covered with dirt now from the digging that he’d been doing, and he was fairly certain that he’d smeared some of the dirt across his forehead at one point, so he found himself kneeling on the bank of the stream of water to clean them.

The water was cool enough to help him cool down from being in the sun, and he rinsed his hands off then leaned his face down to the water to wash off his face. When he pulled away, the silt in the water was enough to confirm that he had indeed gotten dirt on his face during one of the times that he had been pulling a plant up. Though when he looked down at himself it was gratifying to see that there wasn’t any dirt smeared on his white shirt. He was quite meticulous about his appearance being relatively pristine.

Content that he was still presentable even though there wasn’t really a need considering there wasn’t really anyone around. He leaned down to take a sip of the clear water before standing and moving only a few feet away from the stream to sit down. Now was as good a time as any for a lunch break before doing some exploring, so opening his pack he pulled out the lunch that he’d packed for himself and began to eat. It was a fairly simple bento box, rice some other bits and bobs from a stir fry he'd made a few nights ago, and on the side an apple.

WC: 782

In the soothing nature that were the Rolling Hills, one could hear almost everything that was going around them. From the quietest little feet of hedgehogs and mice in the undergrowth, to bird calls, babbling of the brooks, hooves of dear…. And footfalls of other humans. So, Ginza was immediately aware of the individual once the footfalls of another individual came into his hearing range,  approaching Ginza from behind. Being snuck up on was never something that the genin was fond of, so he was glad for the quiet that meant it would be impossible for the other to sneak up on him.

The footfalls were leisurely ones, but they were still footfalls of another human, which made him alert and suspicious, as he didn't have eyes in the back of his head. And, as he continued to eat his lunch that he had brought with him he became ready to toss down his chopsticks and spring into action if the moment called for a fight.  It was rare to see another person really, this far in the hills, especially considering the hills were such a wide spaced area. Usually if you saw another person you hardly even gave a small recognition. Everyone tended to live and let live, at least in Ginza’s experience. And that made him not too worried about the other person that was approaching him. Perhaps they would change their direction before they reached him.

That was not to be the case though, and he heard the footfalls come to a halt as the owner of the feet called out to him from only a few meters away. From where he was sitting staring into the little stream, Ginza blinked, chopsticks held almost comically up to his lips with a piece of meat in between them. He really had expected the other to continue on their way.

So, a little startled that the other was talking to him, Ginza set down his chopsticks onto his bento box and turned to look at the other while listening to his question, gold eyes studying the darkhaired male that was standing there. Point him in the direction of Konohagakure?  Ah. He wasn’t from around here. That would explain it. It wasn't that the other boy was dressed strangely, but being so close to the village, it wasn't likely that he was someone from Konohagakure.

At the question he gave a small nod, though his fingers were ready to reach for his kunai should he need it. It was always better to air on the side of caution with people that one knew nothing about. “Yes, I can.” He gave the other boy a nod. He looked perhaps a few years younger than him, but he could also tell from the distance that the other had kept between them that he was also being cautious about what would happen between them. That meant he was probably at least somewhat wary of shinobi and the likes. Was he a shinobi as well? That would be a question Ginza wanted answered eventually. “You’re only a few miles away, if that... “ He offered the information to the other before glancing back at his pack.

Really, he’d gathered enough of the plants for one day, and he knew that if he didn’t plant them again soon they would probably die. It probably wouldn't hurt to head back to the village and, in turn, guide this stranger to the village. Still he considered his offer for a moment, unsure he would really want to guide the other back to the village or not. The other could have malicious intent. But, there was strength in numbers at the village, and if he did, he was walking into the wrong fight.

Making his decision, Ginza looked back at the other male and away from his pack. "I can guide you to the village if you'd like? I'm just about finished here anyway. My name is Kaigara, Ginza." He hummed, giving his name in hope of the other introducing himself as well, before stashing his lunch into his pack again and standing at his full height of six feet five, turning so that the other would be able to see his hitai-ate that marked him as a shinobi of the village, clearly displayed on his belt. He gave a small flourish of his hand, marking the direction of Konoha, beckoning the other to come with him. "Konohagakure's just this way."

WC: 782 + 755 = 1537

"Nice to meet you as well, Nozaki-san." Ginza gave the other a nod, in reply, thinking about the other's last name for a moment to see if he could place it. It wasn't one that he was familiar with, so the boy had a family name that was different from his clan name like he did, he gave a false name, or the clan was just that obscure. Ginza was a little surprised at that considering all the research he had done on clans when he was younger, but it was possible that he had either missed a few, or not been privy to books that detailed clans from far off places.  Ginza glanced back at the boy who was a few feet behind him before turning his gaze back to the path that they were moving along. It was a little less of a path, as there was no dirt path or markings to  guide them - it was mostly just a pattern that Ginza was used to taking on his way back to the village during his outings. He knew where they were and where they had to go, simply because he'd traveled it so much.

At the question of what he'd been doing out of Konoha, Ginza hesitated, considering how to respond. He wasn't sure if he wanted to reveal what he had been doing, as it might give him away as a medical shinobi. Then again, research of the sort could be used by normal shinobi too he supposed. So, he'd respond openly. Perhaps being somewhat open with each other, would help the both of them to be calmer around the strangers they were to each other. So, Ginza let his bag that was resting on his shoulder fall doen his arm slightly, lifting one hand to open one of the pockets, making fall slowly open to reveal the plants that he had been gathering. There were several in their individual packaging that Kuroshiki would be able to see at the very least, and Ginza glanced down at the open pocket to make sure that nothing would fall out before looking back up at the unexpected companion he had gained for the walk back to Konoha. "I don't mind. Research mostly, it's possible that these plants might have healing properties, depending on how they are used."

By this time they had reached at particularly tall hill that Ginza knew would give way to a beautiful sight of the village, and he had it in his mind that this stranger might appreciate such a view if he were new to the area. So, he led the other up the hill, pausing at the top of the hill. It was one of the tallest in the area, so most of the trees in the surrounding area wouldn't block their view from the village. Really, it was a vantage point if someone were to scope out the village, but it didn't really matter. It wasn't like the village really lived up to it's 'Hidden' name anymore, due to the amount of coming and going, even tourists visiting. Never the less, Ginza found himself giving one of his rare smiles as he looked out and over the village.

Giving a roll of his shoulders to readjust his pack to a more comfortable position, Ginza looked over at his dark haired companion. "There it is, Konohagakure-no-sato." He murmured softly as he looked at the other briefly, then back at the village. They were still quite a ways away from the village, but the distance was part of what gave the view it's stunning nature. One could see the colorful rooftops, and in the distance the Hokage Rock that lined the distant side of the village. It was one of Ginza's favorite sites. The village had lasted through thick and thin, and the Hokage Rock was a symbol that could never be crushed, even if there had been several different Hokages within a small amount of time. The fact that the Jūnidaime Hokage, Kenta Inuzuka had returned was both heartwarming and disconcerting. The village's future was uncertain, but certainly it would be better than it had been with the others that had come after the Jūnidaime Hokage. There was hope in the air again with his return.

Ginza let his eyes linger on the village for a moment before his eyes turned back to the dark haired boy who had introduced himself as Kuroshiki, studying him for a moment, before finally letting his curiosity get the better of him, though he did continue their streak of politeness, not being too abrupt with his question, before continuing to move again.  "If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here to our village, Nozaki-san?"

WC: 1537 + 812 = 2349

Ginza nodded at the response that he was given. It was not unlike his own reason for returning to the village that he had been raised in and had left after graduating from the Academy. He had returned to Konohagakure No Sato so that he could become stronger because he had been weak and helpless. Though, his reasoning was less self-oriented, and more oriented to being able to help those weaker than he who did not have the opportunities that he would have to push his abilities to protect. But, he didn't really consider the response that he was given selfish. It was highly likely that Kuroshiki's response had a deeper meaning to it behind those words, and yet he wasn't going to pry. For now he was content with the reply that he received. It was very true that the road could be a very dangerous place if one didn't know how to defend themselves. Was Kuroshiki a wanderer? Did he not have a home? His eyes roamed over the dark haired boy and over to the village one more time before he was moving again in the direction of the  village.

"You've chosen the right place for that." Ginza made his reply, a small smile forming on his face for the briefest of moments while he was in front of Kuroshiki before his impassive expression fell back into it's place on his face. Konohagakure would surely help the other to gain the experience that he needed to protect himself. Perhaps he would even choose to settle. Wanderers without homes always seemed... sad to Ginza. Now, that's not to say that there weren't those who simply enjoyed traveling, but having a home was important, at least to him. Even if he didn't allow himself to get close to the others residing within his home. Still... Konoha and the temple that he had lived him had been the two homes that he had had, and he really couldn't imagine being without one or the other. He had been so heartbroken when the temple had been taken from him. He doubted if he would ever visit the ruins that now remained where the grand buildings had stood. But, perhaps one day.

A soft sigh escaped him as they moved from the free roaming hills to a dirt path that would lead them directly up to the village, the great walls surrounding the village coming into view as they neared with some buildings just so ever peaking over them. When they came into view of the gate, Ginza's eyes roamed over the red lettering and great green doors that were Konoha's first defense, though... mostly decoratively, before letting his eyes drift back down to his normal eye level. As usual there were two shinobi stationed at the gates that monitored the comings and goings of those who entered and departed the village, and he recognized the both of them from his time at the academy, he'd possibly even been friends with one of them though he hadn't really kept in contact with him after leaving the village. It looked like they had done well for themselves, but soon enough he would catch up to their rank. Giving a wave, Ginza approached the pair with Kuroshiki. " And, here we are, Konoha." He hummed to his companion as they moved through the gate to stand before the two guards for the day.

"Oh, Ginza! Hello." One of them greeted brightly, giving the pair a grin, looking curiously at the dark haired boy with glasses. "What brings you here?"

With that Ginza beckoned Kuroshiki forward to meet the two. If it was Kuroshiki's first visit he'd probably have some paperwork to fill out, depending on his circumstances. "Hello, Omoi. This is Nozaki, Kuroshiki. I believe he's wanting to stay in the village for a while?" He asked, giving Kuroshiki a glance before looking back at Omoi and his partner who seemed to already be gathering the appropriate documents for some one who wanted to visit the village.

With Kuroshiki taken care of with Omoi and his partner who would get everything squared away for him for his time in Konohagakure, Ginza gave the dark haired wanderer a nod before departing. It was time for him to wander towards his small apartment to take care of the plants that he had found. He doubted that their roots would be very happy if they were without soil and water for much longer. Admitedly he probably would have spent more time in the hills if he hadn't met Kuroshiki, but it was good that the man had interrupted him he supposed so that he didn't stay out longer and inadvertantly kill the plants that he now had ownership of.

Rolling his shoulders, Ginza walked towards the tiny apartment complex that his small apartment resided in. The streets that he took weren't exactly the busiest, considering he was in the more residential area where the tourists and visitors of the village didn't tend to visit. Not that he  minded, he preferred the quiet streets sometimes, even if he enjoyed people watching in the more busy sections of the village. He smiled as someone's housecat streaked past him as he moved closer to the apartment complex and then stepped inside of it and moved up to his floor. He'd lived their for nearly four years now. A little less than that considering how long he'd spent in the hospital when he'd first arrived at the village, but it had just about been that amount of time.

He smiled to himself as he opened the door, slipping inside before closing the door behind him and as was custom slipped off his shoes before proceeding into the main section of his little apartment. It was definitely homie with all the books that he had, the bookshelves filled and lining almost all of the wall space that was available. It was definitely one of the easiest places for him to relax and he wandered to the balcony to the little garden area that he had set up, setting to work on planting the plants that he'd gathered. If he were honest with himself, the plants had probably wilted a bit from being stuffed in his pack, but he knew that they would survive. At least as long as he gave them the propper amount of care. And, he would be meticulous with them.

Once the plants were settled in their individual potting areas, he went about giving them fertilizer and watering them to the point that would be proper to them. By the time he had finished, the soil had caked itself to his hands and clothes, even if he had used tools to plant them. Ginza sat back for a moment admiring his handywork before heading back inside his home for a shower and to poke about in the book that had led him to collecting the plants in the first place.

WC:  2349 + 1187 = 3536

-Exit Thread-

Trained:

• Endurance: D-0 -> D-3 [ 3536 - 1175 = 2361 ]
  
• Perception: D-0 -> D-3 [ 2361 - 1175 = 1186 ]
  
• Reaction Time: D-0 -> D-3 [ 1186 - 1175 = 11]
  

Left over= 11