Simple Joys [Open]

[Yōsuru Shin]

Yōsuru smiles and nods as Arata considers the benefit of mutual friendship between the Shin and the Namikaze. The co-operation of possibly the fastest Shinobi in the world and some of the most adaptable was surely nothing but a positive. If the Namikaze could overlook the rather negative past of the Shin that is. He looked on with idle amusement as Arata skipped a stone. Such a minor thing that Yōsuru had tried many times, but had never quite gotten the hang of.

As Arata spoke of the Daimyo. Yōsuru's face grew to a slightly more serious expression once more. "Aye, I don't know much about your Daimyo, only that he's not overly favoured by those I've met so far." He opened his mouth to speak of the Wind Daimyo, but closed it again shortly after. The machinations of Kemuri were nothing to concern the Namikaze with. Certainly not yet, he probably had enough on his mind. "Calling me wise though, you are far too kind. If only all of my clan held me in such high esteem." He joked, finally rising to his feet. 

"Hah! You can only call it rambling when you get to my age. Where you're at it's simply a 'passionate speech.'" The older Shinobi teases playfully. Arata had allowed himself to be caught up in his own visions for the future. Which wasn't a bad thing. The world was in need of dreamers at the moment. People to see things as they could be, not as they were now. "You speak true though. I've not had much time to speak to the Lady Senju on her ideals and plans. I'll be honest, I don't think she cares for me much." He chuckles. "The Lord Uchiha though? He just wants somewhere his people can feel safe. I think your goals may be closer than you think."

He stretches his legs and rolls his shoulders as he takes another look around the river bank, focusing his attention back on Arata. "Technically I'm supposed to consult the elders before making any declarations of alliances or some such. But I've always said it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission." He extends his hand out to shake. "Though I plan to journey back home soon with news. You're free to join me, if you would like?"

[Arata Namikaze]

HP: 360 (460 w/ C.A.)| Chakra: 17 | Regen: 5/post

---

TAGS: Yōsuru Shin

---

NOTES: Notes here

“Kozakura?” Arata laughed, “I wouldn’t take it too personally. She’s intense, but she’s also direct. If she really didn’t like you, I’m sure she’d have said as much. She keeps her eyes fixed on her goals, and that means that there’s little time for beating around the bush.” He shrugged, “It’s part of what makes her such a powerful ally.” And the kind of person you don’t want as an enemy, he added internally.

“As for Kuroda Uchiha…” He nodded slightly, thinking back to his accidental visit to the growing Uchiha village. “I think you are right. Perhaps Kuroda and I need to have another conversation in the near future.” Had his time in that little village subconsciously shaped his own vision for what a future home ought to look like? He pushed the thought away. There were more pressing needs in front of him: the revitalization of his clan, the forging of new alliances, and the destruction of Prince Itsuki. Reflections on what would come after could wait.

He stood and shook Yōsuru’s outstretched hand, offering a grin. “I’m long overdue for a trip back to your homeland, you know. Besides, it’s awfully hard for the clan elders to turn down an alliance when the other party is present!” The offer of travelling with Yōsuru was a providential one. Arata had already been thinking of a quick trip to the desert in order to visit a few old friends. If any one of them could lend their support to the rebellion, even just partially, that would potentially make the difference between victory or defeat in the days to come. That, and one other stop, were already part of the plan. If he happened to spend some time with the Shin clan along the way, that was even better.

He turned and faced the woods once more. “Now, about that display of speed…” He began, stretching his legs. “We took it awfully easy on the way out here. How about a friendly race back to that clearing?”

Made by Zeref of THQ

[Yōsuru Shin]

"I'll have to ask her next time I see her." He chuckles. "I make no judgements. We all have our way of approaching the world. Provided it doesn't go too far." 

He grips Arata's hand and shakes firmly, smiling all the while and nodding as the handshake breaks away. "Well, I've also got Kuroda tagging along to Wind with me. If you two wish to chat, there will be plenty of time on the road." He suggests, but his tone made it clear that Arata was under no obligation to come with, chances were good there would be plenty of opportunities to talk down the line.

"You'd be surprised how stubborn Elder Shin can be. They already don't care for me much. Though to be fair it's probably because I very rarely listen to them. So maybe that's on me." He chuckles. "Though maybe your devious good looks will be able to charm them into an Alliance, who can say?" He goes to reach into his pack, expecting another leisurely walk to follow, only to have that notion dismissed by Arata's next works.

"A race isn't exactly what I had in mind when I asked for a display of speed? Need you humiliate a slow old man?" He smirks, securing his pack to his side and fastening his hat to his back. "I surely don't stand a chance. You know the environment better, and you have the swiftness of the Namikaze on your side..." He pauses for a few moments. "I accept, but surely this won't be fun for you."

[Arata Namikaze]

HP: 360 (460 w/ C.A.)| Chakra: 17 | Regen: 5/post

---

TAGS: Yōsuru Shin

---

NOTES: Notes here

Arata chuckled and shook his head. “You must think highly of me if you think a week’s worth of traveling in the desert will leave my so-called ‘devious’ good looks untouched…But I’ll try my best to make a good impression.” He was encouraged to hear that Kuroda would be tagging along on the trip to the Land of Wind. The incident at the Fire Temple had ended too suddenly to have much of a discussion with the Uchiha leader.

As Yōsuru jokingly grumbled about the proposal to race back to the clearing, Arata looked his new ally up and down. With a raised eyebrow, he questioned him with a grin, “Old? Perhaps—but slow? No. You’ve got some quickness in you. Most people do. Whether they make good use of it or not—well, that’s a different question altogether.”

He tossed his traveling pack up onto his shoulder, making sure it was securely fastened. “And don’t worry about whether it’ll be fun or not for me—there is a certain joy in doing what you love, whether it’s competitive or not. Even if I’m alone, I’ll be quite content just to feel the wind at my back.”

Using the bottom of his staff, he drew a line in the rock-strewn riverbank. “From here to the chopping block.” He stated, pointing down at the line. “First one to pick up the axe I left there is the winner.” He toed in the line in an athletic stance, feeling chakra swell up in his legs and lungs. “Ready…and go!”

Made by Zeref of THQ

[Yōsuru Shin]

"What do you mean? I travel through the desert all the time. And I'm still handsome...right?" He joked, absentmindedly running a finger down one of the many scars that marred his pale skinned complexion. "I wouldn't worry too much about the impression you make. If you're affiliated with me, they probably won't like you." He shrugs. It was no secret within the Shin clan that the Elders did not approve of Yōsuru or his leadership. He was considered a radical within their ranks, but they had no real power to depose him openly. In a similar vein he did not approve of the Clan's eldest having such a large say in politics or the clan's future given that it wouldn't affect them as much as it would the rest, but uprooting such an old tradition and dissolving the council of elders wasn't something feasible, at least not at this point.

"I can see your heart is set on this..." He sighs, but the smile on his face was unmistakeable. He brushes the dirt off his clothes and stretches his legs, inhaling sharply through his teeth at an odd burning sensation down near his calves. Probably nothing to worry about, merely the ravages of time.

He supposed he couldn't fault a man for finding joy in going fast. It was one of the greatest thrills a person could experience after all, but as he saw Arata brace at the 'starting line' he did realise the Namikaze never said they couldn't use some of their...unique advantages in the race.

Silently Yōsuru called to the natural world around him, feeling the energy surround him as he took on his Serpentine form. He could feel his enhanced strength and reflexes already flowing through him, and as he turned and saw Arata declare Go and sprint into the trees he followed suit. With this extra enhancement, perhaps he could win.

Yōsuru has activated his Serpentine Transformation. Increasing his Nin, Sta and Spd characteristics by +2

[Arata Namikaze]

HP: 360 (460 w/ C.A.)| Chakra: 17 | Regen: 5/post

---

TAGS: Yōsuru Shin

---

NOTES: I'm making a bit of a stretch trying to turn the Namikaze trait [Make it Quick] into an extra burst of speed. Let me know if you think that's too far of a reach. Not sure how we're judging the race!

[Make it Quick]: Members of the Namikaze Clan are blessed with incredible speed, and sometimes they are able to manifest that from their chakra in times of need.
- Once per thread, you can use a short action to attempt to evade an attack using a free non-elemental evasion jutsu worth 20 x your Ninjutsu or Taijutsu with no effects.

With a burst of speed, the Namikaze shot into the forest. Back at the starting line, he could have sworn he saw some sort of change come over Yōsuru before the both took off, but there was little time to worry about such things now. There was little time in a race to worry about one’s competitors. Better to simply focus on pulling the best out oneself and pushing on toward the goal ahead.

Still, he couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder a few steps into the race. Yōsuru was surprisingly close and, moreover, seemed to be closing the gap between them. He had taken on a new form, his features becoming almost serpent-like. It was a fascinating transformation—one which Arata made a note to ask him about later. What were its limits? It seemed to give him incredible speed, on par with the Namikaze’s own, but there was no telling how long it would last.

As limbs and leaves whipped around the two shinobi, Arata reached deep within himself and tried to summon some measure of his clan’s natural quickness. He had only ever tried to do so in the course of battle, but each of those moments had resulted in the world around him seeming to slow down, his mind and body moving quicker than he had ever thought possible. If he could summon up that same power now, it would only be a short burst of energy—but it would perhaps be enough to give him an edge over Yōsuru. After all, the clearing was not that far away.

Made by Zeref of THQ

[Yōsuru Shin]

The serpentine form certainly did give Yōsuru an edge over others. It enhanced his speed and his reflexes to an inhuman degree. To a point that even some Shinobi would struggle to keep up. And he used this speed to launch forward and keep pace with the Namikaze Lord as the pair soared through the treeline at a breakneck pace. One small missed movement or wrong call could spell a world of hurt for either of them.

There were times the race probably looked more like a pursuit. Arata would pull ahead with his incredible swiftness and start to form a slight lead. Causing Yōsuru to look akin to a predatory serpent, sailing through the trees in order to catch his foe. These small leads would not last forever though, and for a while it would be difficult to tell who exactly was going to win this race, and then suddenly...Yōsuru was able to witness why the Namikaze were indeed so famed for their fleetness of foot.

His opponent took off, practically leaving a sonic boom behind as their speed increased astronomically. Becoming a blur that even his enhanced senses lost track of for a moment. But he could see the clearing, and he leapt towards it with as much velocity as he could muster. But before he landed his opponent was already there...as if he'd somehow teleported.

"Damn..." He hisses, skidding across the ground past Arata, the other man with his hand on the axe handle. His serpentine form drops and he returns to normal, chuckling and shaking his head. "Looks like even with a playful bit of cheating I couldn't quite take the victory." He takes a deep breath, gripping his thighs as he tries to recover. "Heh...that was the fastest I've had to go in a long time. Won't be surprised if my heart gives out." He jokes, standing back up and extending a hand.

"A well earned victory, young Lord."

[Arata Namikaze]

HP: 360 (460 w/ C.A.)| Chakra: 17 | Regen: 5/post

---

TAGS: Yōsuru Shin

---

NOTES: EXIT -- thanks for a fun thread

The environment blurred around Arata as he felt his body lurch forward. It was a strange sensation, moving at this speed—as though the wind was carrying him. It was an effortless, joyful, giddy feeling…but only for a few seconds. As he closed his hand around the handle of the axe in front of him, a wave of exhaustion ran through his body. He wouldn’t be able to summon up that sort of speed again any time soon. If the race hadn’t been so short, he wondered if he would’ve been able to leave Yōsuru behind in the same way.

As the other shinobi broke into the clearing, Arata put on a grin. No need to worry about what if’s when the race in front of him was already won. He took a good look at Yōsuru’s serpentine transformation, now that the two of them had stopped moving—scales and eyes which seemed like they were taking in the whole world, perceiving every last blade of grass. The eyes of a hunter. It was a fascinating form, equal parts disturbing and powerful. As the Shin returned to his normal appearance, Arata laughed. “I didn’t know you had that up your sleeve! What in the world was that?”

He shook Yōsuru’s extended hand, still catching his breath a bit from the race. “Thank you, thank you,” he grinned. “That was quite a race—you definitely pushed me to go faster than I’m used to!”

He paused, his stomach suddenly making its emptiness felt. “And it turns out that drawing out that kind of speed leaves a man hungry, especially if he hasn’t eaten since breakfast.” Storing the axe away, he turned to the Shin leader. “How’s lunch sound?”

If the other shinobi accepted, Arata would take him into the Namikaze village. Certainly, his people would be curious about their potential new allies in the Land of Wind.

Made by Zeref of THQ

[Yōsuru Shin]

"Little trick I picked up in the Land of Lightning." He smiles as releases Arata's hand, before it clicked in his brain how exactly that statement sounded given his clan's reputation. "Legitimately this time, cross my heart." He does the little gesture, an X across his chest. "But...ah, trust me. It's not nearly as fun as it looks." He shivers a little bit, he had never liked how the form made him feel. But kept telling himself he'd get used to it. Even though it had been decades now.

"Well I'm glad I could present enough of a challenge for you to feel pushed." He laughs, wiping his brow as he places his hat back on his head. "I mean, I'd heard you Namikaze were fast but...damn...it was like you teleported. I'm just glad I didn't put money on it."

Yōsuru's stomach growled at exactly the same time Arata's did, for a moment he looked down at his belly, then at Arata's before smirking. "Heh, shared hunger. Make a wish." He jokes, it was a seldom used adage that if your stomach rumbled at the same time as a friend's it was good luck. 

"It is the foolish man or the paranoid man who turns down an invitation with food." He remarks, dusting off his legs and nodding. "That is to say. I would be delighted to see your home, and dine with you. Especially if it's free." With a chuckle he gestured for Arata to lead on, following him to the Namikaze homestead.

After some conversation and with full bellies. He would let the Namikaze lord know he intended to head home soon enough. And to meet him at Yosuga Pass in a week's time before noon if he wished to come with.

EXIT! Very fun thread!

[TimeCraked]

Grading thread!
Arata +15 XP (37 > 52)
Yōsuru +15XP (10 > 25)