The Jackal,
“I would like to request your aid in guiding myself across the Land of Wind. If you are willing and able to accompany me, please travel light and meet me at the edge of the glass."

He would look it over again and again. Sniffing the paper uselessly before glancing to the hawk. Who the duce would send him such a kind worded volunteer message with a hawk? Its feathers didn't seem ruffled but rather well kept together. Clean despite the sands. His free hand rose up to scratch at the stubble of a beard coming in as he eyed the thing as it eyed him. It had already stolen several chunks of dried meat and done nothing as of yet for him. If nothing else he should return the blasted buzzard. He had tried to let it fly off buuut it didn't really seem to be in the mood for that game. All it had done was circle a couple of times and then returned to him. Even now it seemed to expect something. He could cook it he supposed but then the person who sent the message might not take kindly to that. Besides hawk meat was too gamey for him. They had some chickens and a couple roosters they had liberated from a supply line but other than that...hmm. He shook his head as he looked away from the bird. It got to live for the day.

Still who knew of him and wished to have him come to them? At the edge of the glass no less. It was far from secured and there were enemies about looking for loot left and right. Either they were capable, or they thought him capable. Or they were simply fools over their heads. Whomever it was they had his attention. He recalled the last time he got a message like this. Oh how that took him back. Fresh out of prison with no connections or ambitions and a death wish. Just about the level of a fresh genin. Someone had taken his ass on a ranking mission and he did his damndest to make a fool of himself and die. It had cost that guy an eye. One might wonder what relying on him now might cost someone. Arm and a leg maybe. Still he didn't have the death wish he once did. He was his own kind of king now. A tribe of a couple hundred answering to him like some kind of savior. Sure he kept them fed and sheltered but they were just the stubborn ones who didn't see the need to move to greener pastures.

Still he knew as well as anyone his mind was made up. He didn't have to accept taking them anywhere if they were like minded to his younger self. That was if they were likely to get him involved in their version of a death wish. Course there wasn't anything sayin it wasn't worth its price. Mayhaps they had some coin he could use. See how that tipped the scales on his survival sense. He grinned before standing up. Blue jeans and brown boots already on his person. A white tank top hung loosely over his form a moment. Idly he would slip up his right arm the gauntlet that made him these days. A potent weapon from a suna craftsmen he hoped had survived. Even as his fingers slipped into it the glove would hum to life before he even strapped it to his forearm. A blue glow forming in the ring on top of his hand. Once that was done he would slide his leather eye patch back on over his right eye. The symbol of the Jackal emblazoned upon it. Lastly just to be sure he was prepared he would shove the dagger he had purchased at market once upon a time into his belt loops as it was sheathed. The kunai he won off that chunnin trying to kill him though he would idly keep out and twirl around one finger in his open left hand.

it was a bit of a walk from his encampment to the city of glass. They had positioned it an easy two hour hike walking pace from the place. With looters and slavers and the like hunting around the area for anything easy it just was common sense not to be much closer. He had dealt with plenty of them already that ventured too close but not enough to draw attention. However that distance was for a group pace. For him, shit it was just a few minutes. With a few steps he had rose to the top of the dune. From there he took off like the bird that followed him. Soaring high above. The glass city was a fairly large place with plenty of baddies there but he figured the hawk would direct him when he got close enough. Sure enough once the city was in sight the hawk stopped following him and took off to the right. It was easy enough to keep it in sight from there.

The hawk would arrive first. Flying down to flutter to a stop and perch itself on top her tent. Picking some dust off itself before it tilted its head and watched her. It wasn't much more than a short range messenger bird for places it was unfamiliar with. Still it had served its purpose. Its golden eye would shift again to spot Ryu coming over the top of the nearest dune. He would crest it and look down running his right hand through his hair. Getting it out of his face before sliding down the dune himself. Left foot in front and right foot bracing his slide. Right hand keeping him mostly upright. At the bottom of the slide he would step out of it and walk towards her. Idly spinning that kunai in his hand before looking to the city of glass. His blue eye glowing but he didn't feel threatening with such a puny kunai in his hand.

"You asked for a guide girly, fore we go about doin any of dat, whats the purpose behind it? Sight seeing?"

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“Besides the glass there is scarcely anything worth sightseeing, even I know that. What I seek is another place, spot, something suitable for...”, Nova would pause for a moment and look out at the glass rubble herself, “I'm trying to rebuild Sunagakure. Not like before and not here. It will be different and not corrupt. And whatever new location we can find I need to be uncharted.” He would consider this as he followed her gaze. The kunai would stop spinning a moment as he glanced over the ruins himself. Jump starting the village as a whole from scratch. Jesus Christ on a stick that was going to be a pain in his ass. Especially uncharted. It was difficult for anything that big to remain hidden long and besides they would need to establish trade in order for anything to grow. Still he figured there were ways if they tried. A lot of death was a possibility though. Too many people trying to lay claim. She was going to have to unite the splintered tribes for one. Even with his being one of the strongest and largest tribes there were others with some pull out there. Others that didn't want to lose power to a reestablished village. Still she spoke again. This time looking to his eye.

“Rebuilding her would be more work than its worth.... besides that it's what people would expect should they hear of my plan. Suna needs to be rebuilt and revitalize itself without being under the watchful eye of the other villages. There were none I could think of who would be more knowledgeable about these lands, and a hopeful silence on the matter to outsiders would be an added bonus. I know I have very little to offer you now, but know I am aware of how valuable your skill set is and you will be compensated for any aid you are able to provide to me.” She would finish with asking about what he thought. He would sigh audibly before stepping forward to the glass city. Speaking in return. Her words were thought inducing but troublesome. So he would share a few of his own concerns as well. His pace was slow but his voice hardly carried so it encouraged her to follow him to the edge of the glass.

"See, here is the thing. Ya want a secret location but we ain't got the power to stop spies. That ain't the only issue either. Ya need trade and allies to be more secure at such a young age for a village. Konoha and Iwa are the closest. Suna did nay have any allies before all this so it ain't a surprise that the villages keep targetin what we do have. That said, we had shit for trade before but now, now you have the advantage of a natural resource ta mine. Don't know if ya noticed yet." He would spin the kunai in a downwards facing hand stance before slashing it hard at a standing piece of glass. The glass however fragile in appearance would barely chip as would the kunai blade. Equal in durability. " This glass is chakra enhanced. We know now how our sands react ta high level katon jutsu. The deeper ya go the harder the glass gets. Ya have the ability to use glass like steel here and shape it how ya see fit. So iffin you want a new village ya need it near enough to secure a mine here. And ya need to keep it open for trade ta at least the two villages that ain't slighted us recently. Maybe even form a bond and an alliance eh? Ya know?"

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Ryu would watch her hobble forward as well. Unsure why she hadn't been using that base she had been given by him no less for easier walking on shifting sands. Perhaps she had been drunk and simply forgotten it? He would need to check under the furs in his dome. Still he would watch her nick her finger and even allow himself to wince a little. She would agree that it could be mined but would hold off on trading it right away. Not having a functioning time table was troublesome but not everyone shifted to a business sense as easy as he did he supposed. Still estimates would only be partial for now until they actually attempted to mine and manufacture it. Only once they discovered how long the process took could they really make promises on any trade. Still she had trailed off a moment and now she came back to looking to him. A more concerning look on her face than before and with more concerning words behind it. “What better a defense than distance for a new village? I doubt there are many who would be sent to wander the sandstorms with only mentions of a village. Besides, what help would they offer beyond trying to get their foot in the door and have a say in the dealing of another land. Suna didn't have allies before so why would they have allies now? With the skills I and those I work with at our disposal I believe we would be able to build a village and be able to protect it against all but the greatest of threats. And when it is rebuilt then we shall reintegrate with the other villages. But after we have reestablished ourselves. “

He would find that troubling. Distance and difficulty to get to meant separating themselves from strong trade. Of course it meant more temporary security but only until discovered. Hiding an entire village and attempting to repopulate it was not going to be a simple task at all. Nigh impossible. He would cross his arms without realizing he was doing so reflexively. Preparing a counter argument to her own. He had listened and had an opinion on just the opposite. To a degree. His voice lowered slightly as he wasn't one to back down easily. "And without allies we fell easily. Don't let yer pride overwhelm yer senses girl. You know well as I do there are those who can traverse these lands with ease as you and I do. Our own people lookin ta make coin for some information. Ya can't know that no one in an entire village will betray ye. Now we can bicker a bit but one thing I will concede on is this. We do need to establish a village even ta be worth trading with. Our own mines, our own manufacturing and our own water and food supply. Now I understand your feelins towards Kumogakure and Kirigakure but Konohagakure and Iwagakure had little to nothin ta do with this war. We ain't had much in the way of skirmishes with them and supplies and aid were offered freely. If ya spit on that ya spit on future negotiations too. Besides that, Kiri rebuilt itself to withstand burnin down to Amaterasu with chakra reinforced stone and a specific design for it. Iwa happens to specialize in structures reinforced with chakra and are our closest neighbor. I strongly suggest after we have a foothold they be our first to turn to during the rebuild."

He would feel like he had talked forever. Sure was a mouthful at least. Still she would seem to listen to him and he would listen for her reply before she continued on with the location itself. , “Something with water... a river or even ocean access would work. I think to solve the distance from here to where we decide I could work with some suiton and doton users and create a river. If it had cover from surrounding dunes that would be beneficial as well, I know they shift but if its hidden now it will likely do so for some time. So the real reason I wanted your guide skills is i need your expertise on the layout of these parts because we will be traveling by air. I know the desert but from a bird's eye view I am not sure ill be able to navigate.” Letting the serious expression fall from her face she would chuckle slightly as she added, ”Hope you aren't afraid of heights”  

To that he would be given pause yet again. His eye shifted to set idly in the west by south west direction. Now not many ventured further than a days hike by foot to the west of them. The Desert was a wicked thing and hard to travel across to begin with. Adventuring into nothingness with no promise of finding anything rarely benefited anyone. Still from when he was a kid there was one spot his father had always gone to collect water from for their craft. Stating it gave a boosted flavor to the drink. Once a year for his childhood while his father was alive they had gone and now...now he was about to take some personal memory and provide her with exactly what she needed. "I suppose I know a place. Bout fifty miles west by south west of here. Usually it takes a long time hikin but I suppose flying would get us there quick. Its an old abandoned city, I think it was torn apart by its own corruption. Lot of death there back in its day. Still every other day it kicks up a sandstorm all the way in a ring around it. So access is limited and most don't venture through sandstorm territory if they know better in the middle of no where. The city itself is surrounded by high rock walls with four roads in from the north south east and west. Most of the water round here runs underground but it surfaces there since the sand is mostly blocked off by the walls. So you got an old rundown city with shade, water, not much sand and all that water shifts into a vaulted ceilin tunnel that heads all the way to the ocean. Under the desert."

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Ryu would pause as he brushed something off his coat that had hopped onto him in hopes of water or food perhaps. A simple bug but not something he cared to have on him. Not with his current prestige. The little insect would hit the hot sand a moment before it seemed to run in a circle and burrow beneath. Of course even the insects were smart enough to stay out of the heat of this place. His blue gaze would shift over to the glass village and then to the distance of the molten pit. Two parts of their history now supplying their future. His one blue eye seemed to glow as he contemplated the issues and benefits. The current chunnin exams had just ended but hopefully he could have glass equipment out and in supply by the next one. If their village had a foothold by then surely he could use the exams to advertise their product as something superior. His left hand would rise up to stroke the stubble on his chin as he contemplated his options. Or rather theirs. Perhaps a gift of a glass weapon to the respective leaders of whoever they had traded with would be a quicker version. If Nova would allow trading for some time. It was a dilema that she wanted to value security so highly over profit. Perhaps it simply irked him in ways she would likely not be able to understand. Or perhaps he wasn't looking from her point of view.

”Almost sounds too good to be true, what dangers might we be walking into?”, she first would talk on the matter of location before falling back to the more difficult discussion from before, ”As far as allying ourselves with the other villages, I just fear what secret intentions each have. Nearly every kage has a hand here in the land of wind waiting for the word should an opportunity arise for them, and I fear what they desire to gain from being here. Aid gifted with nothing asked in return is very rarely given without the intent to extract something from the recipient later... I would guess in your business dealings you operate similarly. Trade could be beneficial, with the appropriate precautions of course.”

"My family used to utilize it for some of its herbs before the scattering. Likely you will find some more nomadic members there and whoever had begun to follow them. Either seeking shelter from the war or establishing their own foothold. It is best to dominate them early. I suggest with a show of might. If the strongest of them submit to you the others will follow. It's our way. As for secret intentions...."

He would pause and continue stroking his chin before she climbed aboard the giant metal bird. He would eye it cautiously at first. Two things did not stay in the air long in his experience. Metal, and men. He would be hopping onto a large chunk of metal as nothing more than a man. She had his attention though and likely she wouldn't be climbing so cheerfully into something untested. He would only pause a moment before climbing on board. He would find the position he was directed to before settling in and reaching into his shirt to pull out a flask and drink deeply from it. It wouldn't get him drunk really. More of a prayer or a ritual of protection. Still once it lifted off he was gripping his seat at first until the whites of his knuckles strained to have any color at all. It was only after several minutes of flight that he would visibly relax before continuing.

"I can't work with someone that doesn't secretly want something. Someone wanting for nothing can not be bargained with. The trick is to find out what they want and what you are willing to charge for it. After all if they truly want it they will pay what you put down if it guarantee's having it. I doubt any of them simply want lordship or law in a lawless land. There are always other motives. Manipulate those and then come out on top. As for precautions...if you don't mind opening negotiations with a slight insult, we can set up a trade hub in a known location. Travelers needing special permits to enter the village itself. If you were to put the trade hub near say, the mine and the pit, you might find it easier to guard as well. Less spreading out of what forces we have. You should gain some more elevation if you can though. This place is surrounded by a sandstorm for all of but a couple hours a day. I don't much like flying, I don't think I would care for doing it blind." .

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