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"Yuukihishiro. That's a beautiful name." said Notwen climbing up on the window ledge. "I will be back." With that, the orange-haired boy vanished again into the now cloudless night.
Notwen ran barefoot across the rooftops, making his way to a place he hadn't been to for almost three years. From his vantage point he could see the academy. Judging from the angle of the building, Notwen could tell that his destination was a bit to the northwest. Changing direction, the orange-haired boy hopped over one of the wide main streets in the village, which was practically empty. The cool silence of the night was welcoming. Notwen's thoughts strayed to the day's earlier events. The last time he had seen Soba was after his confrontation with Lord Kenta, just before the blood-wielding girl's attack.
I didn't even say goodbye... he thought. Now past the academy, Notwen ran across a few more roofs, then hopped down into the street. Directly in front of him was his old home. Memories of the night that he lost his family flooded his head again, but he put them behind him.
The building had not been repaired at all, which surprised Notwen. It seemed that people believed that the place would have been haunted if it had been repaired. He took a step towards the boarded-up front door, noticing how the wood seemed to have been disturbed. Yuuki + Notwen: 235 Lines

((First post since not beeing in RP mood, just gonna time skip a whole lot of things just to catch up really. ^_^))

Slowly, white lines started to form in Fuyu's vision of sorts. Finally he was no longer in a dream state. He soon realized that he was laying on the sand in the middle of the day, and getting hot really fast. Quickly, he jumped up and landed on his feet. But there was something odd. He slowly knelt down and touched his feet. Where there should have been sandles, there were full boots. When did he get these? They were defenatly new. Then he realized something else. He was wearing gloves. He never wore gloves... what was going on, He still had his eye wraps on, but had no shirt. He wanted to see in full what he was looking like but didn't want to take the risk of his eyes over-surging again like on that dreaded island. He looked around and without much suprise he realized that he was stuck in the middle of the desert. What else could happen within the first five minutes of him waking up?
"Ah... So he's desided to wake up...." a shallow, deep yet quiet voice stated as it echoed in the empty desert. "Who's there?" Fuyu stated as an instant reaction. He was starting to get use to this "sencing" vision as to know that there was nothing out there but him, the sand, and the wind. "Need not to be allarmed, I am Fujin. The Guardian of the winds, and I have been assigned to be the newest wind spirits protector." "Really? well there is no-one around, I may be blind but I've been able to sence any presence as of lately and there is nothing here but me, the sand and the wind." There was a laughter in the air as the deep, quiet voice began to speak again. "That is right... except... I am the wind that surrounds you right now...." With that, the winds started to condence right infront of Fuyu quiet quickly. What he was able to see though was a glowing white shape form infront of his eyes, making him step back more and more. "You see... I am here" It stated once finished forming. "Ok... I still don't know what you look like though...." This comming from Fuyu was the equivalent of him saying that's really obviouse. "I see.... you're not sure what's fully happening yet are you?" Fuyu shook his head and started to look around. He wanted to get back to his team and let them know what's been going on. Last thing he remembered was he was spying on that Sai guy. Then it all goes black, which in all honesty shouldn't be anything new for him. Fujin grinned with all three heads and chuckled. "I should let you know Fuyu, we are spiritually bonded so I can hear all of your thoughts." The spirit floated over behind Fuyu and looked at the boy. "I can see why the winds choose you, but the main question is will you be able to fill the role you have been given?" "What role? What are you talking about?" Fuyu demanded as he spun around to look at the three faces of Fujin. Right there infront of him though was two items. A wicked shaped blade which looked very intimidating as well as it stuck out of the sand, and a cloak that was drapped over the sword. "These are gifts from your father... You're replacing him in the role he could not fill so he wished to help you with those." Fuyu's face went blank. His father? what on earth did this thing know about him? "Tell me everything you can about father... now!" He stated in a blind furry as he grabbed the blade and pointed it to his left, right were the guardian had moved itself. With the blade pointed in its face, it vanished but didn't leave. "I'm bound not to say much, the only thing I can say is that nether you nor him origionate in the sand village, but you were sent there for your own protection when you were a child." The voice started to fade at the end but never completely left. Fuyu slowly lowered the blade until the tip was resting in the sand. He wanted to know more... So much more but there was too much going on right now and he couldn't focus. "There is one wish from him though...." "WHAT!?" Fuyu stated in a snap like the crack of a whip. "Go... go to the village hidden in the sound and take the chuunin exams. How you do there will determain if you learn more about him or not." Fuyu was now confused. WHat did the Chuunin exams have to do with his father? He was about to ask again but was beaten to it. "There is no direct link, so don't ask and I'll let your Team leader, the Kage, know where you are and what you are doing." The voice faded completely and after a while, there was nothing. He didn't know what to do.... listen to what ever voice was just there that might have been his imagination, or ignore it and go home? But if there truely was information about his father.... He desided to head to the direction he thought was the sound village. His didn't know if he was ready or not, but knew he at least had to try.

Mean while, two letters fell from the skies in specific locations as if made from thin air. One was where Oasis and Hatsuma was located, the second where Kenta was located. Even though to different people, they both read the same thing;
"Dear Team member/Leader of Fuyu Masato,
If you are woundering where he might have gone, he was in the desert learning a few things whether he knows it or not. We have sent him to the Chuunin exams as we are sure you are well aware of there existance and starting date. We hope not to make this letter an inconvinience and just wished to inform you of his wearabouts if you were looking for him.
Signed; Spirits of the Winds"
Once the letter was read completely, the letters would disipate and become the air that they once were, leaving a light freash sent behind.

((Sorry about the letter, but I just want to get my foot in the door of the Chuunin exams ^_^))

{New linecount for Fuyu = 40}

((no kidding huh.))

Oasis nodded as she admired the design of her new outfit. It wasn't that different from her usual but it had interesting patterns in the material and anything new excited Oasis. She tipped from side to side feeling the weight of the items and how they would move with her and as she was doing this something dropped down outside her window she popped the window open and snatched the letter out of the air. She slid it open as Hatsuma came back out of the bathroom. "Oh... well it seems that Fuyu will meet us there, the reason we didn't see him was he was apparently off doing some secret training. She states with a smile as the letter then faded away she shrugged it off lightly and returned her attention to Hatsuma. "sounds... unpleasant really." she mewls as she thought about what transport with her clan would entail. As she was considering this she noticed something that she hadn't before was clipped to the belt of her new outfit. She pulled it free and slid it open, she didn't fully know what it meant, however as she read it she came to understand that it was a summoning contract, one for summoning rabbits. Her face lit up, rabbits were those cute long-eared fluffy things she had seen, how very exciting. Apparently it was given to her by anonymous benefactor who would teach her more about it after the exams and how to summon stronger hares if she could pass some tests. "Seems I got a summoning contract too." she muses as she rolled it up and slipped it back into its place on her belt. "Well... I will ride with you if you can get transit its just...I really hate those land vehicles..." she complains as she thought about her previous experience with them. However she was ready for the exams now and didn't want to wait so she would take the ride. She slung the window open and launched out it headed for the ground below. "Meet ya outside!" she states loudly for Hatsuma to hear her.

Oasis followed after Hatsuma to the nomads, she waved to a few that she remembered from the first encounter with them, she wasn't paying that much attention until the vehicle was summoned, and her face drew pale. She hated land vehicles so much. However it was the best way to get there. She took a deep breath and jumped into the vehicle. "Okay... ready." she states with a light groan.

((Uh, well I dunno how travel time works, so yea I suppose we could post in rice country next and then the exam right after yea?))

Metsuki noticed all of the Wind villagers gather around Television sets and what not as they giggled and cheered slightly he went over and saw a billboard of the Chuunin exams, As a kage he would need to attend to placement...He sadly hadn’t put any thought into if his Genin would make it to the Exams or not, Slightly connected to his brother mentally he had a general idea of the situation but none the less he didn’t panic. ”Hmm, Hane-Tsume should have gotten to washi and notified him of the exams...currently they’re just beginning and yet I don’t have robe attire to show I’m the Raikage and thus... it’s a great chance to inspect upon the others. Quick haste he quickly darted for the two countries boarder line as passed through a long erupt desert before noticing the slight increase of greenery. ”I’m getting close...Lets see....center of the country perhaps...” He darted off to the center of the country in hopes of finding the hidden village.

Notwen closed his eyes and focused, pumping chakra into them. An invisible dome of chakra pulsed away from him. Instantly 3D infrared images began forming in his vision. They appeared at varying distances from his body, which was the the center. In front of him appeared many small orange blips, but no others.
So it was rats the whole time... thought Notwen, ending his focus. He pushed at the wood barring the doorway. It fell back crumbling into dust, making the boy cough. The least the village could have done was keep the barriers fresh, he thought angrily, stepping into the now dank and dusty hallway. Notwen treaded carefully over the old pieces of debris that Dokuro had made. Going by what he had read on the scroll, there was a secret doorway that led to a basement located somewhere in his mother's room.
Notwen walked past the ajar door, and looked around his late mother's bed chamber. He wouldn't be doing this if she was still alive, but it couldn't b helped. He first moved the wardrobe and tested the wall and floor, which felt pretty solid. Notwen then moved the futon, or what was left of it. Underneath it he found a pair of rusty hinges, but no handle.
"Jackpot!" Notwen whispered excitedly. He understood why the door was left without a handle. Placing his hand against the wood, the orange-haired boy focused his chakra, creating a bond between himself and the wood. He pulled his hand up, attempting to pick up the floor. The first attempt failed, but on his second attempt Notwen succeeded in opening the door. He stopped focusing chakra to his palm and let the small door fall on its back.
The doorway revealed a landing of spiraling stairs that led downward. Surprisingly, Notwen saw a flicker of orange light coming from around the bend. He let himself down into the stairwell and began descending. Surely enough, there was a sconce holding a lit torch on the wall. Notwen wondered how it was possible for a flame to last all this time, but dismissed the thought and continued down the spiral staircase.
Eventually, the staircase opened up into a large shrine-like chamber. In its center was a pedestal, surrounded by four large brazers that were lit with the same flames as the sconces in the stairwell. Nestled on the pedestal was an oddly shaped egg. "That must be the egg Soba-sensei was talking about." Notwen muttered to himself as he approached the pedestal. Yuuki + Notwen: 279 Lines

Fuyu continued to wander through the desert even though it seemed pointless as he was completely lost. The landscape never changed which wasn't helping his situation. Suddenly a large but short wind pushed him into the ground to his left. It was just a wind that had caught him off balance. He stood up and started to walk in the same direction again. The wind came again but he braced himself and didn't fall over this time. He stopped for a moment and looked to his right. the wind in the distance was spuratic yet the wind around him was pushing in one direction. He thought for a moment and then desided to go with the wind. He turned and walked with the wind, which now wasn't blowing at all. After a few moments though, he realized that he was at the wind/sound border. He grinned and kept a thought in his mind and continued to walk on.
{46}

Yuuki dreamed that she was in a large chamber. She saw a large altar of sorts in the middle of the room. She moved towards it but then a brilliant explosion blinded her. The next thing she knew, she was clinging to a massive bird that was flying above the village. Looking down, Yuuki saw that she had arrived back to her house. Why was she knocking the door? The constant knocking woke her up.
"Huh?" she mumbled, sitting up and scratching her head. Someone was indeed knocking on the door downstairs.
"Coming!" came Mama's voice from down the hall. Yuuki heard the door open and a short discussion take place. After a few moments, the door closed again and Mama came up with the scroll. "Notwen is now on his way to the Chuunin Exams."
"He came back?" asked Yuuki fully awake now, "Why didn't you wake me up?" Mama sighed.
"I told him you were sleeping, and he asked me to leave you to your rest. I gave him a map of the world, so he will not get lost. Also, we'll be leaving in about an hour. I have requested Village transport." Yuuki sighed. Notwen did fulfill his promise of returning, But something Mama had said did not sit well with her.
"How is Notwen getting to the site of the Chuunin Exams?" Mama laughed.
"You'd never believe me if i told you." With that she left the room.

An hour later, a caravan of carriages arrived in front of the Miyazaki manor. Papa packed the girls' bags and got into their carriage. The caravan began to move, picking up speed as it left the village, heading northeast. Yuuki looked out of the window and swore that she saw a shining bird in the sky flying in the same direction, but she blinked and it was gone.

((Notwen and Yuuki Traveling to Rice Country))