[Oonakayama Arashi]

a falling star fell from your heart.

"That's what I'm thinking! We make a break for the edge of the ship and get to the water...without third-degree burn..win-win.."

Escape from the Ship

Feeling herself hoisted upon Asahi's back, her body pressed as close to his back as possible, the teen would also manage to keep Ai sandwiched between them while her arms remained spread out to allow her jacket to be extended to both sides of them. It was the only plan that seemed plausible at the moment. Nothing else would allow them any chance off the ship, none that wouldn't get them even deeper in trouble then they were. Feeling her knees braced by his hands, she'd soon nod toward Asahi just as he took off, bracing herself as they surged through.

The distance to their goal was short, but the intense heat was quite different when you didn't have an extra layer of skin. It was a shame when she thought about it, that this was the first time in years that she actually felt..normal and it left her at a disadvantage. Especially as she was to act as a guard against the fire surrounding them, her arms holding up the dampened fabric to protect the three of them.

While her vision was somewhat distracted, she did manage to make out what looked to be two charred bodies upon the deck, prompting her eyes to grow wide as she imagined the sailors never had a chance to jump overboard. A part of her felt bad for them, but then again...they had basically aided in kidnapping her. So it had to be karma. Still, the visual was brief before soon feeling the weightlessness as Asahi jumped, their bodies floating briefly before he seemed to land upon the water's surface. His form still managing to stride across it, the teen was able to release a breath, looking over her shoulder to see the ship seeming to start sinking, it's fiery remains beginning to burn out under the slow wash of consuming waves.

"That....was...totally awesome...."

In hearing Asahi ask how they were doing, Arashi would grin as she looked over his shoulder before pulling the jacket down from around them.

"We're a little baked..but I think we'll survive! That was amazing Asahi!Right Ai?"

The canine would bark happily, seeming to lick at the boy's face as Arashi would pull her jacket back over her shoulders. Still unable to retie her hair, she allowed it to simply flow behind her, doing her best to hold it at bay as the boy continued to run them toward the shore. It was a slow trek, but considering the weight he was carrying, she should have expected as much. Honestly, she didn't know how in the world he could stand her at times?

All she seemed to do was either put him in dangerous situations or get him into trouble. Then today, he had to actually go and rescue her from a situation that could have easily been avoided. Looking off to the side, the teen would then release a breath before smiling slightly as she stared at the back of his head.

Still..it was...romantic and..even heroic in it's own way...

Holding her hand close to her face, she'd continue to try and keep her hair from blocking her view, seeing the shore line in approach.

"So um....are we gonna talk about how the ship caught on fire? Or why the lower deck got flooded...and scolding hot?"

Raising her brow, she'd then blink before remembering that fact, seeming to smirk as the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

"Cause that....was a thing..."

SPOILER: Click to show

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by sixsmith.

[Kyokujitsu Asahi]

{

}

He shouldn't have been surprised to hear Arashi be so chipper and upbeat after narrowly escaping the slave trade and still not having access to her chakra. She was a strange woman who seemed to always be a magnet for trouble, even more so when Asahi was with her. He couldn't remember a single time they had been able to hang out without something popping off. Well, maybe that time on the rooftop but even then the chunin was unable to profess his feelings which made things awkward. The two were actually due for another one of those, actually, and if there was any doubt the boy had about what he wanted going forward it was pretty much gone now; for better or worse.

At least they were safe from the burning ship and while the seal on Arashi's waist was still very much an issue they would have to deal with they could breathe a little easier for right now. Well, at least until she inquired about the fire... and the water... If Asahi could have run away he definitely would have and he was fortunate that Arashi couldn't differentiate the sweat from the fire from the sweat from her question. "Well, there was a shinobi among their ranks, ice type user. He had my feet frozen in place so I... kinda had to melt it... and maybe went a bit overboard trying to intimidate them to give you back." He would respond hoping not to get chastised too much in return.

Asahi had been sheepish for nearly all of his life so putting some bass in his voice was still something that he needed to get used to, though it helped when you could literally superheat the air and dehydrate the very moisture out a persons body. Alas, the boy by no means wanted to become a bully but he imagined having a more stern demeanor would be necessary for his position guarding the Kazekage. He was surprised to even get selected for such a position and wondered if it had anything to do with his dealings with Arashi in the past, but surely the leader of the village wouldn't appoint a person as their bodyguard just to keep an eye on their child's special friend, right?

"Oh look the shore! Let's get you on dry land and take a look at that seal." Asahi would speak as the visage of the dock came back into view. He hadn't been happier to see terra firma and after a few more minutes the trio would be back on solid ground and with it a huge sigh of relief. That had been an ordeal and it all started with a chew toy.

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Oonakayama Arashi]

a falling star fell from your heart.

And just like that...the spell seemed to wear off...Shattering like glass and leading to the teen having a bead of sweat drip down the side of her face as she seemed to allow her smirk to grow less pleasant and more to the look of a mad woman.

"YOU WHAT?!"

The girl scream seemed to echo briefly, nearly prompting her to almost yell at him. Granted, he had gone through and saved her life, but hearing how the situation unfolded, many of the more dangerous parts could have been avoided had he perhaps considered the possibility of just how his actions would go. But then, Asahi actually intimidating them was quite the feat as well, though she would save that compliment for later.

Though before she could continue, the teen announced their approaching destination, causing her to look up to see the shoreline coming closer. That in mind, the girl would then shout one more time, seeming to hold on to her rage.

"Don't change the subject!! I could of drowned!

Yet, as it looked as if she were gonna to strike him, she then just closed her eyes as she released a breath.

"I'll take it outta your cool points for everything you did today and we'll call it even..after all..I kinda was the one that got us into this mess in the first place..."

That said, the girl would narrow her eyes as she looked down at him, her expression still slightly annoyed, but she imagined that Asahi knew her well enough to see this as temporary due to her clear defeat on this matter. It was more so do to him that they were even alive right now after all.

As the trio finally reached the surface, she'd pull herself off of Asahi, feeling Ai scamper upon the sand as well, rolling around in it as if it were the best thing he had seen all day. It was mid-day now, so the area was partially empty. In truth, she imagined that all the events of the that afternoon had been ignored. Perhaps for the best, as reporting this would probably be more trouble than it was worth.

Looking around, she'd then hold her arms around her chest, holding up one hand as she then held a sheepish grin on her face.

"First off...I..need to say...Thank you...and...that...um.."

Bowing her head, she'd respectfully continue to speak.

"I am so sorry for nearly getting us both killed...it was stupid and I should have known better! I was just...well...ya know? Over-eager?"

Shrugging her shoulders, the teen would then straighten her posture as she looked to her companion, still holding that nervous smile as she then played briefly with her hair.

"But..to be fair...There was a good...good reason for all of it...I swear..."

SPOILER: Click to show

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by sixsmith.

[Kyokujitsu Asahi]

{

}

She was angry, that was fair. Granted, had Asahi not melted all that ice it would have surely been used to impale him and then he'd be dead and Arashi on her way to be some human zoo exhibit, or worse. It was honestly astonishing how shortsighted the woman was being and if she wasn't suffering from the lack of means to walk on water Asahi probably would have dropped her by now. Alas, a few more moments of thought could have possibly led to a less harrowing outcome but being in the thick of things didn't really make it seem as such. The pirates weren't willing to give Arashi back and were more than prepared to kill the Kyokujitsu , so he had to meet their force with even greater power.

A slightly annoyed look would cross the boy's face as Arashi continued to lay into him about almost drowning and then almost burning to death, etc., but at the end of the day they had all made it past that and could live to tell the tale another day; though Asahi hoped it wouldn't reach the ears of the village higher ups, the last thing he needed was an impromptu meeting with his boss after a day off.

Once on land, however, the girl's tone would shift to a more apologetic and thankful one, something it should have been all along to be honest, but he'd let it slide just this once. "It's... fine, I'm almost used to it hanging around you." The chunin would reply as he chose to just accept the thanks rather than continue to chastise Arashi. She seemed to know her actions were the root cause of all the problems they had encountered today yet in the same breath assured Asahi that it was all for a good purpose. "A good reason? For all that? What could it possibly be?" A mixture of curiosity and perhaps not anger but something akin to it could be heard in his voice.

Arashi was a smart women there was no doubt about it and after their first and second run ins with danger he believed that she would be more careful with her actions going forward, so whatever end goal was worth being kidnapped and nearly being both drowned and burned alive had to be amazing, because it couldn't be that chew toy, it just couldn't.

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Oonakayama Arashi]

a falling star fell from your heart.

"What the...reason...was...?"

It was a fair question, and Asahi was more than deserving of an answer. Arashi found herself twisting the length of her hair now, a blank expression lingering on her face at being confronted on it. Even if it was out of curiosity. The thing with Arashi was...when it came to the people that she cared about, she was willing to risk a lot. More than a lot in fact, because of how dedicated they were to her. It was a tit for tat, and them having her back made her all the more willing to do the same.

Friends....real friends..as her mother said, were the ones that would stick by you no matter what...and she wanted to do everything she could to keep those kind of people around. Asahi stated how he was used to getting into some kind of trouble when it came to her, and yet he still did it anyway. Despite her position, she would imagine that anyone else by this point would have simply run off to find help than stage a rescue like he had.

That made her all the more sure of her choice in trusting him...and more than that...wanting to keep him close.

If this was indeed part of those situations that meant love...than she was probably it's latest victim in the foolish chase of it. Falling into it recklessly and willing to put her life on the line just to get a gift.

Mild Confession

"Right...well...the reason...the really reason...is that..it wasn't for a chew toy...obviously..because that would be insane and only a crazy person would go that far for a dog toy..."

Ai would whine at that comment, though soon feel Arashi gently reach down to stroke his fur.

"No offense Ai..."

Standing tall once more, she'd then look to the side as she released a breath.

"The reason I was trying so far...even to the point of not thinking..was because I..was trying to find a special gift for...you..."

Saying this, she'd then shake her head with a frown.

"Which..I still couldn't even do right! I ended up getting kidnapped by the pirates from the westside of hell...and you had to come and save me..I just...I just wanted to try and do something..right for you...something that didn't involve...ya know...my usual streak of dragging you into dangerous shit that could easily get us killed..."

In that moment, she then looked at him and placed her hand behind her back.

"I know..I can be...the worst possible person on the planet...a monster...but..I also know that..you're one of the most important people in my life...and that's saying somethin considerin that most people in my life either walked away or still resent me for being the one tails..you were one of the few that actually stuck around...so when you succeeded at becoming a Chunin..I was...really proud of you...because that was something that you really wanted...so I just wanted to show you that....."

That said, Arashi would then look down before scoffing a bit as she looked to the side.

"I closed myself off to people for a long time...so...me being this...open with someone is still new and..completely terrifying...ya know""

"Pretty stupid to think I could pull it off though...right? Not..to bein open..but..to..trying to show you that I...well...care.."

SPOILER: Click to show

000WORDS FOR N/A amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;― notes go in here. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In nec nunc sit amet ante lobortis viverra. Sed pellentesque, nisi ac volutpat bibendum, diam ante bibendum odio, eu aliquam metus felis a arcu. Nulla facilisi. Nunc tempor neque nec tristique dapibus.

by sixsmith.

[Kyokujitsu Asahi]

{

}

So all of this wasn't for a dog toy, ok that made him feel a tad better, but then that begged the question of why Arashi had lied about it this entire time? Asahi had peeped that the girl was acting strange when they first ran into each other but hadn't been able to figure out exactly why and it seemed that it was because she was trying to come up with lies on the spot. Well this was turning out to be a confessional for the both of them and while Asahi's were more of the life and death scenario they only came about because of the situation Arashi had put them in.

Eyes widened at the revelation that Arashi was trying to find him a gift for passing the exams and getting promoted to Chunin, and where there was once frustration it had now been replaced by... quite a few other feelings. The tenseness from before was gone but he wasn't quite sure how to feel. Happy that someone would go through so much for him? No, not happy, he honestly wasn't sure and it was all so confusing. There would be silence for a few moments after Arashi finished speaking, quite a bit to process in terms of what had just happened and what would transpire going forward between the two of them.

Asahi would drop to his knees in silence, eyes turned to the heavens. He was tired, so very tired, and there was no telling what the day would bring whenever he and Arashi crossed paths which couldn't have been good for his health. Alas, those dangerous moments some of the most exciting moments the Kyokujitsu had ever experienced and he honestly wouldn't change a thing. "You are so dumb Arashi. What good is a gift from you if you're not here to enjoy it with me?" Asahi would respond with a sigh. "... But I think the reason I keep hanging around is because I really like you and you've helped me grow so much the past few years and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let something happen to you. I'm not entirely sure what I'm trying to say but I'm thankful you were thinking of me and next time just buy me a card or something." He'd add with a laugh. Emotions had been all over the place but they were finally beginning to settle back to a normal state.

His gaze would shift to the girl, clothes in tatters and hair all over the place, but he... liked... it down?

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Oonakayama Arashi]

a falling star fell from your heart.

There was a moment of silence between the two, though she figured such a result would happen with her unloading that much out on him. Still, when his reaction was to fall down to his knees, his gaze shifting toward the sky, she thought that she might have just given him more than he could take him. As she moved over to him, her expression filled with concern, she'd soon find him looking back at her and calling her....dumb.

A blank expression resting on her rather messy face at the moment, her eyes wide as she heard him, though soon allowing the reality of the situation to sink in. He wasn't doing this simply because of some obligation, but because he did genuinely care about her and that..in a way...was grateful to have her in his life. That she had helped him to grow over the years, which was something that she didn't know many people to say.

He didn't want anything that he couldn't share with her and he couldn't imagine what his life would be without her. While he didn't really what he was trying to say, the teen could only continue to look at him, her hair still roughly out of place. She knew she really couldn't explain what she was trying to say either, but that didn't make it any less embarrassing to hear. Though no more than the realization that with all her efforts in getting him something, she could have very well just gotten him a card or something completely simple.

Normalcy Maybe

That...was what left her completely dumbfounded...

"A..card?..I could have got you a card....."

Slipping down to her knees beside him, the teen would hear him laughing before nudging him gently with her elbow, a pout displayed over her face.

"How COULD I NOT THINK ABOUT GETTING A CARD!? Gah! I am an idiot!!"

Despite this lapse in judgement, the girl found herself laughing as well, holding her stomach as she couldn't believe that something so simple could be overlooked. Her eyes closed, the teen would then release a sigh, before falling backward onto the lightly covered beach, realizing the roughness of the sand against her uncovered flesh, feeling to rub against it before then groaning.

"I can't believe I didn't think of that...ugh..I'm so stupid..."

In saying this, she'd feel Ai climb up upon her stomach, prompting her to recall the issue with the deal, her gaze shifting back to Asahi and then letting it stare back toward the sky. Removing the seal was important, but for the moment..it didn't hurt so long as she wasn't attempting any jutsu. If anything, now she could finally do that one near death thought she had..enjoy being in her own skin for once.

"Ya know? This is the first time I've actually been able to touch my skin without it flaking off in....years...not to mention feeling that kind of heat...its kinda different when your skin is mostly sand..."

Poking at her flesh, Arashi was surprised with how smooth it was, causing her to smile to herself before then shaking her head.

I had almost forgotten...

"Anyway...we should probably figure out how to undo this before heading back...."

SPOILER: Click to show

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by sixsmith.

[Kyokujitsu Asahi]

{

}

Something that Asahi was pretty much able to confirm at this point about Arashi was that she didn't much balance when it came to her ideas. They were either on one end of the spectrum or the other, rarely in between and it often landed them in these kinds of situations. Granted, he could see how just a card might have been looked down upon, but even the smallest gestures from someone you cared about meaned a lot; so yes, in fact a card would have worked just fine. Alas, the two would have this memory to hold onto for however long they remained on this mortal coil, and most importantly it was yet another death defying experience that the Kyokujitsu could hold over Arashi's head for all eternity.. though him almost killing her in the process of rescuing her wasn't the greatest look, either... Even, yeah they'd just call it even.

Arashi would make mention of how she felt somewhat normal because of the seal blocking off Shukaku's subtle enhancements, whether it be in the form of the thin layer of sand that always covered her skin or otherwise. Asahi would be lying if he said he always noticed that about her, the sand blended in well and usually only chipped off if she got hit hard enough and there weren't a ton of those instances he could remember happening. He hesitated to ask if that was something that she could just turn off but figured it was one of Shukaku's machinations that while on the surface looked like it was meant to protect whoever it was sealed into at the same was probably just a means to protect itself more. The chunin had no idea if bijuu could die, or even get injured for that matter, but if they were providing a layer of armor regardless of what their host wanted then it had to be possible, right?

"Hmm I never thought about how weird actually being able to feel things might be. An always on armor sounds cool, but I don't know if it's worth the cost of not being able to experience true heat or cold... At least, that's what it sounds like." There was a chance Asahi was way off base with his thinking, he was sure that Arashi could feel sensations on her skin but they were probably dulled to a degree.

At the mention of getting rid of the seal Asahi would shift his attention to the area it was placed on the girl asking to see it once more. The pattern and symbols looked somewhat familiar, it wasn't a terribly complex fuinjutsu but looked to have some kind of defense mechanism that would harm anyone who touched it. "Mmm well this is gonna be a doozy. I think I have an idea though..." The chunin would speak as he rubbed his hands together. Since this seal had stretched to meet the one holding Shukaku in place it was crucial that he didn't accidentally break that one as well less a certain beast be freed upon the land.

In reality the technique he was going to use was mostly meant for lower level fuinjutsu but did have the ability to displace seals that weren't of his creation so in theory it would work. If not, well, they were going to have a very awkward story to tell once they got back to Suna. A single seal would be made with Asahi's left hand as a pattern would appear on his right palm. Slowly he'd reach down to place his hand on the seal imprinted on Arashi's waist. If everything went well then the fuinjutsu would break and Arashi would have access to her chakra once more, if not then the chunin was going to have a burned hand.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Toi Mi Fuuin [Distant Unsealing]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Fuinjutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
HANDSEALS: 1 - Mi [Snake]
TRIGGER: N/A
DESCRIPTION:

A technique allowing the user to unseal, after forming the proper hand seal of course, any Hikin Fuinjutsu - [Generic Sealing Technique] seals, whether it be their own or others, provided that they are within 20 ft and within a clear line of site.

[OOC: Not exactly what that technique is used for buuut that's all I got XD]

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Oonakayama Arashi]

a falling star fell from your heart.

"I think...its more just the lack of it that you get to miss...even with the benefit of having a shield..you just...don't get to feel sensations like that too often...its kinda like a two way street"

Pulling herself upright, Arashi would hold her knee up to her chest, then looking over at her hand as she then stared back at Asahi.

"You get one of the most powerful defenses in the world...but you also never really feel anything..."

It was a bit morose, but the years had made it so that she had gotten used to it. It was simply that in that moment, for that short amount of time, she wasn't exactly the One Tails. Sure, she could almost sense Shukaku still lingering within her, but her eyes didn't feel as heavy as they usually were, the dark rings no longer present beneath her eye-lids. Her skin not such a dusty pale tan, seeming more vibrate and full of life. But, much like any fairy tale, the spell did need to wear off. More so than that, she knew that she couldn't ignore her responsibilities just because of her old feelings.

"Still...don't think I'd trade it for anything now...it's a part of who I am..."

As Asahi seemed to inspect the seal that seemed directly linked to that of maze like patterned rose on her lower back. In truth, she had been thinking about just how such a thing was going to work. After all, if they managed to make a mistake here, she'd be dead and Shukaku would be unleashed. It was a bit unnerving, though she was willing to trust that Asahi would be careful. Seeming to know the challenge himself, he'd state that he did have an idea though, prompting the girl to release a deep breath before preparing herself.

"Okay...just..get it over with so that incase it doesn't work out..you have a good three-five seconds to get the hell outta here..."

With Asahi soon performing the Fuinjutsu, the teen noting that it's intention was mostly meant for lower level seals, Arashi could only assume the same thing as Asahi. Still, her eyes were held tight for the small chance that this ended up blowing up in both their faces. Though as she felt his hand touch her lower back, a burst of wind would seem to blow upward around the two of them, prompting the boy's touch to be pushed back. The teen would then look with one eye open, though she'd keep the other closed before looking around with a blank expression.

"We're not dead...right?"

While Arashi wouldn't be able to notice it, the black lines that seemed intricated beneath her eyes had returned, along with the slightly pale complexion upon her tanned skin. Her leg soon resting beneath her, she'd look down to her chest, seeing that the other seal was no longer there, then looking over at Asahi with a grin.

"You did it...it worked..."

DON'T YOU EVER DO SOMETHING SO FOOLISH AGAIN!! YOU NEARLY HAD US BOTH CAPTURED!!!

Hearing the thundering voice from inside her head, she'd almost wince at it's clarity in recognizing the tone of Shukaku.

"Yea...it definitely worked..."

Reaching out, she'd summon the passing dust beneath them to rise up, then letting it linger in the air before sending it along into the distance.

"Nicely done...Since when did you get so good with seals anyway? I'm gonna have to up my game before ya start catching up to me..."

SPOILER: Click to show

000WORDS FOR N/A amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;― notes go in here. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In nec nunc sit amet ante lobortis viverra. Sed pellentesque, nisi ac volutpat bibendum, diam ante bibendum odio, eu aliquam metus felis a arcu. Nulla facilisi. Nunc tempor neque nec tristique dapibus.

by sixsmith.

[Kyokujitsu Asahi]

{

}

The boy would listen as Arashi explained how she could feel but not feel at the same time with the sand armor constantly covering her. It was difficult to imagine having a layer of sand always surrounding oneself and how it dulled the senses in exchange for a permanent increase in defense. Most would take the sensation of touch for granted, whether it be the sun on their skin or the chill of a breeze raising goosebumps, yet for Arashi there was little to none of that. The external factors of playing host to a demon were well noted: stares and general disdain from other villagers, the ever present threat of a locked up beast trying its damndest to make its host's life a living nightmare.

Alas, Arashi had spent most of her life living with Shukaku and had become accustomed to its ways. Trading normalcy for unimaginable power was a conundrum indeed, one that the woman had already seemed to make her decision on. Neither of the two were completely confident in what was going to happen next, either the plan would work and Arashi restored, the seal remained and greater help would be needed, or Asahi would accidentally release Shukaku and everyone in the town would more than likely die. Fuinjutsu were tricky to learn and even trickier to use especially when they came in contact with other seals.

A powerful blast of wind would emit from the seal as soon as Asahi touched it, his hand swinging back from all the force and being used as a shield for his face. Was this going to be the end for them both? If it was then at least they were together. There had been a lot he didn't get a chance to say, but the experiences shared were enough for multiple lifetimes...

... In time the wind would subside and while Asahi had no idea how being on another plane of existence felt he imagined it wasn't the exact same to the living one. Opening an eye to confirm his aliveness, the boy would see that both he and Arashi survived the ordeal. "Well, we're not dead so... maybe?" He'd reply. There was no noticeable difference aside from the seal being gone, but was that enough confirmation? Alas, Arashi would confirm through her own methods that indeed her ability to mold chakra had returned which was great to hear.

"Just been working at it for a while now, learned a few things leading up to the exams and... voila." The boy would respond not sure when exactly his skills with fuinjutsu got to this level. He had been fascinated with the sealing arts since his first days in the academy. It was a versatile skill to have and had even caught the eye of a certain Kage leading to an impromptu lesson a few years ago, though that part he wouldn't let Kaze know about. "Are you feeling well enough to move? I think we've had enough fun for one day."

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Oonakayama Arashi]

a falling star fell from your heart.

So Asahi had been working on his Fuinjutsu techniques in preparation for the exams. It made sense as any test would make you want to crunch as much information as possible. The exams were no exception as she knew the hardship that came from their testing. You never knew what to expect and how to be ready, so a lot of times you just did a little of everything for it. But, everyone had their own method and she had to admit that his technique, while still imperfect, showed promise.

It very well just saved her.

"Cool beans..."

Raising her brow, a smirk would cross her face before hearing him ask if she was okay enough to move. In noting how they likely both had enough of this place for the day, Arashi would sigh as she rolled her eyes with a smile.

"A day? I think I've had enough for a week...probably need to work on making sure that if I travel anywhere..I'm wearing a veil just to keep from these kind of things becoming a habit.."

Rising back up, she'd see Ai sitting down between the two, his back leg scratching against his ear as if in wait for what the two had in store next.

"Plus..I don't know why..but I am starving...who'd of thought that near death experience can make you hungry and panic driven all at the same time..."

It was a small joke, but really she was trying to keep things as light as possible considering the situation. After all, they could either keep this to themselves or tell her father for him to have a fit.

"So...just to make sure we're both on the same page..we don't..intend on tellin the Kazekage about this right? Just..gonna..pretend like it never happened..."

SPOILER: Click to show

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by sixsmith.

[Kyokujitsu Asahi]

{

}

Asahi tried his best to laugh and later on would surely appreciate Arashi adding some levity to the situation now that they had actually survived, but there were many thoughts still racing through his mind. The ordeal was was over, for now at least, since the ice type user had managed to escape and there was no telling where he had ran off to, but the chances of him reappearing before the duo made their way back to Suna was slim; and if he did well there were going to be two shinobi he was going to have to deal with and one of them probably had a good bit of aggression that they needed to work through.

"Food doesn't sound too bad, probably won't make it back to Suna without putting something on our stomachs." The chunin would reply rising to his feet. He really wanted to get out of dodge but considering they were going to have to cross a desert to get back home it definitely made sense to fill their bellies before making that trip. Arashi would ask if he planned on mentioning any of this to the Kazekage, her father and his boss, when they returned to Suna and while the initial answer was a sure fire 'no' it probably wouldn't have been wise to withhold information about a dangerous rogue ninja running about the world. Granted, he didn't have a name but there couldn't have been too many ice type users out there so that would at least be a good place to start. Then again, if the man found out that Asahi couldn't keep his own flesh and blood from being kidnapped what would that say about his skills to protect him?

"Yeah... yeah I suppose we don't have to mention anything. But on the off chance that he finds out we were out here together we should probably have our stories straight, right?" Asahi would ask once again finding himself tagging along for more Arashi shenanigans that'd possibly land them in hot water down the road. But a part of him enjoyed it.

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Oonakayama Arashi]

a falling star fell from your heart.

"Any chance we can use the rare chew toy excuse?"

Arashi would look at Asahi with a calm expression, knowing full well that they couldn't as even her father could tell something like that would be a lie. Though then again, she had done stranger things but the risk was too high to try it. This wasn't as simple as them basically being forced to clean up his study, this could easily get one of them reprimanded and it wouldn't look good on Asahi's part either. With her making her way toward the entrance of the port village, her hand cupped beneath her face, the teen would then look up toward the sky with a blank stare.

"Hmmm? If it was for an actual mission, we could just state that we crossed paths, but I haven't been on one since I became a instructor at the Academy...and with Tsunai-sensei..so that's out.."

Feet taking one step at a time, the young heiress continued to calculate to try and think up a plausible explanation, prompting her to then shrug her shoulders.

"I mean...we could go with the fact that we went to get something to eat together?"

Reaching behind her head, she'd begin to pull up the long hanging strands that floated at her back, holding it together as she then one arm to be free to reach down into the pocket of her partially charred coat. She imagined how this probably would sound, and it seemed the only thing he'd believe.

"It'd be true and he'd think that it was just that and nothing else...because it'd sound like we were on a da.."

Arashi stopped short, blinking for a moment before then looking at Asahi with a blank gaze.

A date..that was the word that was trying to escape her, but that was indeed what it would sound like.

SPOILER: Click to show

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by sixsmith.

[Kyokujitsu Asahi]

{

}

"We'd need a chew toy for that excuse to work." Asahi would respond playfully showing his two hands devoid of any such dog toy, and on the off chance they could procure one on their way back to the village the duo would then have to come up reasons on what made said toy so rare and special. Granted, Arashi being the handler she was could probably make up something believable, though it wasn't like they'd be trying to pull a fast one on any old person. No, this was the Kazekage and her father, a man who surely had more than a working knowledge of dogs and their things since he probably spent a good amount of time taking care of them alongside his daughter.

The boy scrunched his face at the mission idea, it'd be tougher to get that one across than the chew toy since the Kazekage probably stayed abreast of when and where his shinobi went when it came to missions, and he'd surely know where his daughter and bodyguard were supposed to be. Maybe they were overthinking things? Takato's ire was not something they wanted to feel.. again, and with the both of them supposed to be more mature and responsible within their rank the punishment for lying would surely be more than a little clean up duty. No, there would surely be salt mines involved.

Perhaps feeling the same, Arashi would offer a more subtle excuse: food. They were technically on their way to get something to eat so it wouldn't be a lie. Why the two had to travel so far for food was another question but hopefully that wouldn't be questioned. A brow would raised as the girl abruptly stopped speaking. "A da? What's a da.... oh... a.... date..." The chunin would halt as the realization of his words washed over him. Was it a date? Could rescuing someone from pirates be considered a date? No no, it was probably the getting food part that was the date. But it was just food, nothing more nothing less, right? No, there was definitely something more.

"Uh... umm, I feel like he'd be more upset hearing that than any other lie we could come up with.... But I guess he's just gonna have to get used to hearing it." Asahi's heart was basically in his throat as he added the last part and there was no way to know for sure how Arashi would react to those words. Had he come on too strong? Was it too late? Didn't matter, it was out there now. "I mean... if that's ok with you." Damage control.

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Oonakayama Arashi]

a falling star fell from your heart.

It was funny how despite the fact that she carried within her the demonic spirit of the desert, she couldn't get the courage to say one word. Still, it seemed that she didn't have to bother, her frozen demeanor seeming to prompt Asahi to try and figure it out. In the end, she still remained almost frozen, her hand still holding her long hair, the other still deep within her pocket. He seemed a bit puzzled by it too, though he seemed to at least understand what this might actually mean.

Arashi knew her father...she knew the kind of man he was and assumed that the same could be said for Asahi. It was probably why he was being so secure in whatever story they'd say once they returned. Though what followed after his explanation did leave Arashi a bit slack-jawed.

"Used to hearing it?"

While the teen was far from dull-witted, she did have her moments in which she was certain that she might have misheard something. In this instance, a dating proposal.

"As in us actually dating?.."

Her hair dropped out of her hand, her face flushing slightly as the tan individual seemed to wait for her to confirm if she were okay with this possibility. That seemed to prompt her to snap out of her, her hand rubbing the back of her neck as she laughed sheepishly.

"Yea..I mean...yea...that's...that's fine..just...that I mean...the way you said it..kinda made you sound...not so afraid of my dad...just...wow this actually came out with me sounding dumb..."

Arashi would finally collect herself, nodding her head with a small smile.

"Totally...dating sounds...awesome..."

SPOILER: Click to show

000WORDS FOR N/A amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;― notes go in here. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In nec nunc sit amet ante lobortis viverra. Sed pellentesque, nisi ac volutpat bibendum, diam ante bibendum odio, eu aliquam metus felis a arcu. Nulla facilisi. Nunc tempor neque nec tristique dapibus.

by sixsmith.