Senpai and kohai in action! [Espada]

[Estilo]

"Nifty thinking!" Atlas smiled, remembering that she had used that same ice technique when they had both taken the chip delivery mission a few months ago- their first mission, if he remembered correctly. Now she had aced it yet again, this time using it to help them get across the somewhat raging Tianguis. She proceeded first, with the Akegarasu in tow. And while he had confidence in his little sister's ability with ninjutsu, he was still cautious about the integrity of these ice steps. Could they really handle his weight? "Okay." He continued. "Let's go~"

All the task took was a little effort, balance and coordination- which came easily with being a ninja of Kumogakure. Still, the worry for his companion's safety and his own was prevalent, and the half-masked male would take no risks. Cautiously he'd move a little bit forward, preparing his jump. When he spotted the first ice tile- and his imoto hopping onto it as she advanced- he bent his knees and propelled himself forward, a swift and gentle movement- one that hardly made a sound. When he hopped off the ice tile and onto a flat stone, Atlas would bend his knees once more then leap towards the the next platform afar the way ninja do- silent and quick. The effort ended in complete success, his feet safely touching the flat stone and rooting themselves firmly to the surface despite the splashes of water that pounded against the side of the stone.

The next few stones were a bit more difficult to access, and the half-masked male had to choose which order he'd take carefully before putting himself to action and crossing. The roar of the river was strong when he'd reached the flat stone smack in the middle of it, water drizzling from the sky and splashing over his feet. He could have easily used his crows to form wings on his back and fly over the natural border, but in a way, this seemed more adventurous. And despite the risks, he was having a blast. One stone after the other, and it didn't take long for the Akegarasu to nearly reach the other end with his younger sister. At the second to last stone, Yukiko turned to him- in need of assistance. "Sure thing." He replied, taking his younger companion by the hand. "We'll jump the next few stones together, hm? Whenever you're ready~!"

When she gave the signal, the two would hop to the second stone in unison- then in, almost immediate succession, they moved on to the next. Their jumps were flawless and balanced, and within seconds, they reached the other side of the Tianguis. His already dirty boots landed firmly on the muddy grass when they landed. "Ahaha! That was fun, don't you think, Yukiko?" He beamed, scanning the landscape around. "I think we'll go east from here. The inn should be down that way."

[Yuki-chan]

"Sure thing. We'll jump the next few stones together, hm? Whenever you're ready!" said the male as he took her hand.
The female looked ahead and tried to focus on the stones that were ahead of them. Both of them jumped at the same time while they hold hands.

"One, two, three JUMP!" said Yukiko as they were on the last stone; they made it over to the other side without any problems at all. "Ahaha! That was fun, don't you think, Yukiko? I think we'll go east from here. The inn should be down that way." said Atlas with his usual grin on his face.

"Mhm. Let's go" said the girl as they continued on their walk through the semi-wild forests of Kaminari no Kuni. She noticed that the path they walked on now was a little bit bigger than the previous one...maybe more people were using it?
Suddenly, a small growl went through the air. "I'm a little hungry senpai" said the Genin as she looked up at him with a slightly embarrassed smile on her face.

Ice blue eyes then widened in happiness as she noticed a small spot under some nearby trees where they could eat their food. "Do you think we can eat over there?" asked the girl as she pointed on the said spot she had seen.
If the young man agreed, she would jog over to check if the grass was as soft as it appeared to be. The brunette pulled out a somewhat thick plastic bag from her backpacker before she laid it on the fluffy grass. "My parents told me to sit on this so my pants did not get dirty" informed the female as she sat down on the bag.

She pulled out her bento after she had looked at the watch. It was 03:35 PM, so it was almost four hours since the last meal. "Time to eeaat!" sing-songed Yukiko as she opened up her mealbox to see what her parents had made.
There was some grilled chicken there that also tasted nice when it was cold plus a small box with dressing. Some rice was in the part next to it plus a lot of vegetables. Her parents had provided her with a bottle of cool peach tea plus a small chocolate for dessert too.

[Estilo]

They followed the river eastward, only meters away from the bank whilst in the pine forest parallel to the flow of water. The sky was still as gray as it had been when they had begun this journey, and the scent of the wilderness as strong and ever-present as always. With his sensory vision still activated, but draining little chakra from his reserves, the Akegarasu gazed about at the scenery around him and witnessed the beauty of the wildlife at all corners. Kaminari no Kuni. If you traveled and hiked long enough, you would find untamed patches of land that were as clean and natural as when the earth had created them. It was good to know that one's country held such a marvelous environment, a balance between civilization and wilderness. He was amazed to see it preserved so well.

Minutes had passed since they'd crossed the river. It didn't take long before they reached a rocky and somewhat mountainous region- pine trees being replaced by giant gray boulders and the ground steadily flattening as they continued to walk on. Stopping when he faced a small area positioned well under some trees, patches of grass scattered here and there, Atlas pivoted to face his little sister. He'd heard a growl- and Yukiko confessed to it with an embarrassed but adorable smile. She was hungry! "Yup." He sighed with a bit of fatigue. Now that he took it into account, he realized they had been walking for an hour or two. Or at least, it seemed that way. "I think we should take a rest here for a bit, hm?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar filled with almonds and caramel- a dorky grin crossing his face. "I'm actually a little hungry, too. Got a craving for chocolateee." Swiftly, he'd begin to unwrap the bar.

When she asked whether they could eat under that neat little spot under the trees, Atlas replied with a grin as bright as hers. "You read my mind~" Then watched as his younger sister jogged over to inspect the potential picnic spot to later withdraw her meal and other items. Happily, the Akegarasu would sit under the trees on the surface of a flat stone, biting into his chocolate bar as soon as he had a chance. Sure, eating candy for lunch wasn't the best example he could give to a young mind such as his imoto's- but when he had said he'd been craving it, he hadn't been lying. Aside from coffee and guava fruit, chocolate was one of his most desired temptations- and one of the sweetest to enjoy!

He'd watch and listen as Yukiko took out her meal, raising an impressed eyebrow when he saw the seemingly delicious food. "Woooow! Looks tasty." He'd smile, half-chewing through almonds, cocoa and caramel. A soft breeze blew through their location, carrying with it the fresh smell of the Tianguis and the scent of pine. In twenty minutes or so, they would move on with their journey and eventually reach the: Typhon Inn. It was there where they'd acquire their sleeping accommodations and rest until tomorrow. But for now, he would enjoy the moment. This peaceful picnic near the bank of the Tianguis river. Biting into his bar, he relished it.

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Yuki-chan]

"Woooow! Looks tasty." said the male, who had now pulled out a chocolate bar that he would eat as his meal. "It is" replied the female after she had taken a couple of bites of her chicken sandwich.
The taste was delicious to say at the least; the chicken was neither too moist or too dry while spices made it tingle a little in her mouth. All of the vegetables in the sandwich complimented the meat too.

She ate some of the chocolate that her parents had laid in the lunchbox after the sandwiched had been eaten up. "I'll save the rest for later since it's meant to be my dinner" stated the girl before they continued on their route.
Their surroundings were a bit more rocky now compared to before; it was not much of a bother for the young Genin. After they had walked around for one and a half hour, they arrived to the inn where they would spend the night. It was a relatively simple Western-style inn which the female had not much experience from.

It looked like this was a little close to the main road, which was a good thing. 'Wonder why it's called 'Typhoon Inn'. I hope they have good beds there' thought the brunette as they entered the somewhat small establishment.
A small 'ding' was heard as they entered the small lobby; this appeared to be a family driven business. "Hello, what can I help you with?" asked a blonde woman who appeared to be in her early 30's.

"We would like to stay here for tonight and leave tomorrow after breakfast" said the girl as she looked up at the woman. "I see...you're staying with him, right?" inquired the clerk as her eyes shifted to Atlas.
"Yes, he's my cousin" said Yukiko. It would probably be a bit weird if someone that much older to her would accompany her unless they were in family. But they had the same skin colour as well as similar face shape and hair shade.

"Right. I will place you in the same room...which means that the price will be 200 ryo including breakfast" said the female as she handed them a key with the number '8' on. "Here's 100" said the younger female as she gave her 100 ryo.
The young man would be more than able to pay the rest since 100 ryo was not that expensive. She wondered how their room would look like.

[Estilo]

The next morning the two would get up early to prepare for the next day, eat breakfast and later continue on with their mission. Following the dirt path outside of the Typhon Inn they would continue east, not too far from the bank of the Tianguis river. Myriads of pine trees, grassy landscapes littered with stones, and mountainous outcrops would pass them as they walked on. It wasn't until the Akegarasu gauged the distance they'd walked, and became aware that they were bound to hit some civilization at some point, that he decided to stray off the path with his younger sister.

The mission was to explore uncharted lands, after all. Trekking through the pine forests at a brisk pace, Atlas would yawn. He felt that they'd probably waked up a bit too early. He was used to waking up at the brink of afternoon, to the duties that came with being a ninja of Kumogakure and the duties in his household. Unfortunately for his circadian clock, there were missions like these that required one to wake up in the early hours of morning. And he would do so, but very sluggishly so at times. What kept him alert and awake now was the chilly morning breeze that swept through these lands, almost numbing the surface of any skin he had exposed- including his face. He sighed, his breath coming out like mist.

Their off-the-road traveling soon turned into an off-the-road hike as they began to walk up a lengthy slope- one peppered with boulders and bushes. They were walking over a small mountain, headed to whatever was on the other side, a relatively unexplored patch of land Atlas had never ventured through. Walking side by side with the Yukina, always there should she need assistance or a quick save, the half-masked male would enjoy the bird song that reverberated through the air. The squawk of something that sounded like a cross between a turkey and a parrot. Peculiar.

The soothing peace that hung in the atmosphere was strong enough to have the Akegarasu delve into his thoughts and clear his mind. There was still that matter of his kageship, and though he had chosen to miss the meeting that had been scheduled yesterday, he knew he would return to Kumogakure at the end of today. He would need to come to a decision beforehand. And as intimidating and troublesome as the thought was, making this decision that would steer the course of his life from then on, the half-masked male would have to make it. Nearing the top of the rocky hill they were crossing, the young man turned to Yukiko and smiled. "How are you liking Kaminari no Kuni so far, kiddo?"

[Yuki-chan]

DAY 2.

The female blinked as her inner clock started to ring. 'I wonder what time it is' thought Yukiko as she glanced at the small watch strapped to her wrist. According to the arms, it was 08:15 AM. She took a shower before she joined the male for breakfast.
The duo continued their mission after they had checked out of the 'Typhoon Inn'. Atlas seemed to be a bit tired; it made the girl chuckle a little bit.

She liked to be up early in the morning and usually woke up between 07:30-08:10 AM. One of the main reasons was that the Genin ate breakfast with her brothers before they went to the Academy. 'Hm...the weather is a bit better today' thought the female as they started on a trip through a rather thick pine forest.
There were not a lot of clouds on the sky today but the temperature was still on the lower end of the scale. But the brunette did not freeze much thanks to her warm jacket plus that they were walking through the forest.

A smile tugged at her small lips when she could hear some birds in the trees sing. She then heard a squawk that sounded a bit like a parrot; what kind of animal could that be? The girl looked around, but she could not see anything that caught her attention.
"How are you liking Kaminari no Kuni so far, kiddo?" inquired the young man. "It is quite nice" said Yukiko as she started to walk a little faster.

Both of them had now reached the top of a hill; it seemed like the Chuunin had planned to cross a small mountain so they could get to the other side a little faster. "Can we rest for a couple minutes? I'm a little tired" said the female.
They had been walking for two hours straight now and that alone was a good reason for them to rest. Not to mention that the Genin had shorter legs than her partner.

"One of the people who worked in the hotel restaurant sold lunchboxes, so I bought one with turkey rice balls. I think there were something else here too" said girl as she sat down on a rather flat stone. She zipped up her backpacker and removed the plastic box that contained her food.
Inside was four rice balls, some vegetables, a small box with cold ramen, a tiny bottle with sauce plus a bottle with green iced tea. "Do you want a rice ball?" asked the brunette as she looked up at him.

[Estilo]

The hike had indeed got a bit exhausting halfway through, and when Yukiko asked if they could rest for a bit, Atlas had no qualms about complying. "Yeah-- let's." He replied, stopping next to a boulder to lean on and yawn. "I don't think I'll sit though." His head dropped back as he looked up into the sky. "I'm afraid that I'll fall asleep if I sit." He chuckled. He'd estimated that they'd been walking for a few hours since their departure from the Typhon Inn, and he could only wonder the toll it had taken on his younger companion. They had eaten their breakfast only two hours ago, he estimated, but the need for a snack was prevalent in his mind. The same, apparently, went for his younger sister- who reached into her bag and retrieved a lunchbox she had acquired at the inn.

When she offered a rice ball, Atlas straightened and happily accepted it. "Sure, why not~?" Leaning forward with a single hand outstretched, he'd pick the tasty treat from her lunchbox. "Thanks, kiddo." He smiled, poking her forehead gently with the other hand. Backtracking to his previous position, Atlas leaned back on the boulder as he had his mid-morning snack. There he would stand- gazing at the scenery around them, devouring his rice ball and musing about random things as Yukiko finished her own meal. They had yet to cross the mountain they were currently hiking over. He made guesses about what they would see, but never settled upon one solid prediction. How would he know for sure?

After popping the last of the rice ball into his mouth, the Chuunin would stretch his arms upwards- towards the sky, the ligaments within his muscles expanding. While his younger sister ate, Atlas continued to gaze about- then eventually posed a question. "Hey, kiddo." He'd begin, a curious tone in his voice. "When your parents moved here... what was their reason for joining Kumogakure? As the experienced Jounin that they are, I've always found myself interested in their motives, their goals. I imagine they feel a great responsibility, and I'm sure they love Kumogakure just as much as any other citizen would... but have they ever told you their reasons for coming here?"

He posed the question lightly. Perhaps she didn't know, or perhaps she'd rather not talk about it. And if it was that way, he wouldn't mind ending the conversation then and there. But he really was interested in that subject. After all, in a way, it related to his current situation with his issue of becoming Raikage or not. He wished he could have asked her parents in person, but the next best thing would be to ask Yukiko herself. When Atlas was confused and just plain lost, he tended to look towards others for help and advice. It was just the way he was. He knew that facing something with the knowledge of others was better than facing something alone.

[Yuki-chan]

"Sure, why not?" said the male before the female handed him an onigiri. "Hey, kiddo. When your parents moved here... what was their reason for joining Kumogakure? As the experienced Jounin that they are, I've always found myself interested in their motives, their goals. I imagine they feel a great responsibility, and I'm sure they love Kumogakure just as much as any other citizen would... but have they ever told you their reasons for coming here?" asked Atlas.

Yukiko knit her taupe brows a little as she chewed on the onigiri. "Mum said they moved because the house in Yukigakure was too small and a bigger one would be too expensive. I also think she said something about that some of our relatives lived in Kaminari" said the girl.
She ate a little bit of vegetables before she closed the lunchbox. The rest of the meal would be eaten a little later when they were hopefully closer to some civilization.

"Senpai, we have to think about how we can get back to Kumogakure. We only have one more day and I would like to get back to Kumogakure before it gets too dark" informed the Genin as they continued on their hike through the country.
Fortunately, they had started to walk down from the mountain they had used as a shortcut. "I am pretty sure that's the main road to the capital" said the female as she pointed on a road ahead of them. She then remembered that she had passed this area sometimes when they went to the capital to visit her relatives.

It was noon now and the sun had warmed up the area around them a little bit. There were no clouds on the sky so far, but there was a small breeze that made the brunette feel slightly refreshed. 'Hm...is it only me or are the forests a little thinner now?' thought the girl as they started to walk through another forest.
There were less animals as well as trees compared to the forests they had been through earlier. But the reason for that would show itself when they had exited the forest.

On the other side was a large field with a barn as well as cowshed; both of them were somewhat large in size. "No wonder the forest was so small! They chopped some of it down so the animals could have a place to walk around!" exclaimed Yukiko in relief.
A large number of sheep were walking around on the field, most of them looked like they did not care much. "Aaaaw...look at the lambs over there" said the female as she pointed on a trio of lambs that laid in the grass next to their mother.

[Estilo]

So they had moved here for housing accommodations, to build a better life for Yukiko and her brothers- he imagined- and to connect with the family they had in Kaminari no Kuni. Atlas mused. Despite their previous lives in their homeland, the two Jounin had come here seeking the progress and well-being of others- namely their children, and perhaps even their relatives. He wondered how the responsibility affected them- as parents, as ninja. He wished to know how they dealt with it all, how they climbed that figurative mountain of fear and overcame the anxiety that spawned in their thoughts. Perhaps... just maybe, it was that same devotion they had to their family that fueled their efforts? That emotion that caused them to willingly take upon the weight of the world on their shoulders. it was awe-inspiring.

Hopefully, Atlas could garner the courage to take upon an equally difficult burden himself. After all, what was he named Atlas for? More and more often, this seemed like destiny to him. And like Yukiko's parents, he would use his personal determination- his devotion to those he cared for- to help him in his endeavor. His adopted sister- he already knew that anyone who tried to touch her would do so over his dead body. But could he extend that protection, that commitment, around the entire village of Kumogakure? Some could say that he was already as loyal as they came. Being a ninja of Kumogakure came with protecting the village as a whole. But the truth of the matter was that becoming Raikage required dedication on a completely different level. What really scared him was the prospect of failing at his efforts. Failing in such a position would mean he'd fail everyone.

They walked over the crest of the small mountain and down its slope- through a thin forest, during which Yukiko pointed out the main road, then towards a relatively bare landscape. It was only when they spotted a barn house and several livestock ambling about on a giant grass field that his little sister exclaimed, assuaged by the fact that the thin forest behind them was cut down to such a size for a good reason- the freedom and happiness of the livestock living here in the countryside. Fluffy white sheep trotted by in the distance, eating grass, resting in shade. The Yukina pointed out to a trio of the mammals resting beside their mother- younglings without a care in the world. It was sweet, and made him smile.

"Just lovely." The Akegarasu commented, walking beside his companion as they continued on towards the main road. Their journey would end soon enough, the sun bound to fall in a few hours more. And at the rate they were walking, time would pass by fast. There was still so much of Kaminari no Kuni to see. So many places even the traveler had never visited before. But exploring said locales in one day would only kill the joy of experiencing it later, wouldn't it? Hurrying to meet some quota that demanded he see everything would only result in disappointment and regret.

[Yuki-chan]

"Just lovely." said the male with his usual smile on his face. "Yeah...lambs are cute" said the female as they would continue their walk at the main road. They had spent all of their mission so far looking through the wilderness, so continuing their mission at the main road was sensible.
There were a couple of farms out here; most of them had sheep or cows grazing on the fields right now. Yukiko kept her eyes open for people or anything that seemed to be out of the ordinary.

But she knew that if they got into a fight, Atlas would do what he could to help her. It was a little odd that a guy who was not related to her was willing to do what he was able to do in order to save her. The girl felt safe around him; it was a good feeling.
'I hope I may be able to help him when I'm older. Perhaps I can live up to the nickname I had back in the Academy' thought the Genin as they passed a couple of merchants who were pulling a cart.

It annoyed her that she was only a small girl who was not nearly as strong or smart as many of the other shinobis in her village. Even a majority of the Genins were better than her, but the ones closest to her age were two years older than her.
'Eh. My mum told me that as long as I did my best, it did not matter if I won or lost' thought the female as she looked up at the clouds with a bit of irritation in her eyes.

To be a shinobi was not an easy job; missions like these were common when you got higher in the ranks as well as age. But the Genin promised herself that she would try to be ready when that time arrived in a couple years.
'I am thankful that senpai is here to help me out. I have to do my best so he won't get angry at me' thought the girl as her expression got more determined.

Ice blue spheres looked down at the watch again; it was now 3 PM in the afternoon. Both of them had now reached the northern suburb of the capital. There were a number of houses there and she also saw two people wearing Kumogakure's Chuunin uniform.
"Hey, look over there!" exclaimed the brunette as she spotted a ramen bar. She was starting to feel hungry since they had not have a proper meal since breakfast.

[Estilo]

Their walk now took them down a road, parting a lush green landscape littered wit livestock from a bare pine forest. The tranquility was sprawled out over this picturesque setting, dim beams of sunlight cutting through the little clouds that blocked them. The baa of sheep was frequent, but not irksome to the Akegarasu's ears. He had lived around livestock before, in his home country. As a child, he had played with the lambs, taunted the cows, wrestled with pigs and chased chickens. One could say Kuma no Kuni was the perfect setting for a child, should the parent seek out a rural and down-to-earth locale to raise their little cherubs. It had definitely had its effect on him, and he felt proud to hail from there.

In more than one sense, it had made him who he was today. He'd learned so many values and lessons, committed his own share of faults and struggled with the consequences- but in the end, it allowed him to study these mistakes, and better himself in the long run. Unlike those who grew up in the city- knowing nothing more than fast-food, fast business and an overall fast life- Atlas shared that view many others in Kumogakure had. Those who came from humble beginnings, from times and places where one had to work not only to put food on their table, but to plant it and watch it grow and harvest it. His mother had taught him the value of that, she always having been the environmental enthusiast.

As for his absent father- the Akegarasu who shared his middle name Taisho-well... Atlas didn't much care for him. He was, like many in the capital and hidden villages, a city-born businessman. Having left Atlas to the care of his mother long ago, Taisho Burabiya had never seen his son since then. And in a way, the half-masked male preferred it that way. How would he have turned out under the influence of such a corrupt and cowardly man, anyway? As much as people doubted it, he was raised perfectly fine by his mother alone. And when he was of age, Atlas had taken most of the responsibilities she had carried on his own.

They entered the suburb of the capital, Yukiko and Atlas arriving into what seemed like a loosely populated community. With hungry delight, his younger sister pointed out to a ramen stand- to which Atlas' stomach immediately replied with an audible growl. His hand shifted towards it and patted it softly, slightly embarrassed laughter escaping his mouth. "I-I...I think I'm pretty famished." He admitted. "What do you say we have a good meal, hm? I'll pay for it." With a smile, and a warm look in his exposed green eye, the Chuunin would lead the way to the ramen stand, brushing away one of the curtains displayed before it in order to obtain a seat on one of the stools. He greeted the chef behind the counter with a wave, then ordered his food of choice. "I'll have a bowl of chicken mushroom, please. Don't skimp on the vegetables, too." He'd jokingly remark. The chef nodded, happily scrawling down his order. Turning to his young companion, Atlas asked, "What are you getting, kiddo?"

[Yuki-chan]

"HA HA HA HA!" laughed the female when she heard the male's stomach growl rather loudly. "I-I...I think I'm pretty famished." said Atlas as he let out a nervous laughter. "Sorry senpai..." giggled Yukiko when she managed to gain some control over herself. "What do you say we have a good meal, hm? I'll pay for it." said the young man with a warm look in his emerald green eyes.

"ALL RIGHT!" said the girl as they headed for the ramen bar. She climbed up at the stool while the Chuunin greeted the chef. "I'll have a bowl of chicken mushroom, please. Don't skimp on the vegetables, too." said the male.
"What are you getting, kiddo?" asked the brunette as he looked in her direction.

"Uhm...could I have a small bowl with chicken ramen and vegetables? Please don't put any cabbage in there" said the Genin with a polite voice she used for adults she did not know that well.
The chef nodded as he started to work on the orders. "I have not had any ramen in ages" informed the female as she looked at her older companion. Which was true; she had not had any ramen in three weeks if not more.

Both of her parents wanted their children to eat healthy food, particularly since all of them would become shinobis one day. The brunette was also the role model for her two younger brothers. An idea popped into her head as she saw a police officer walk past them.
"Senpai, do you think we can patrol this area and spend the night here? We're not that far away from home anymore I think" said the girl.

She was not completely sure how far away they were, but they were a bit closer now compared to earlier today. But the young man knew this country a lot better than Yukiko did. Maybe he knew about an inn or a hotel that was closer to Kumogakure than the hotels that were located in this area.
"Here are your meals" said the chef as he placed both of the bowls on the table. It looked quite delicious and the smell was just as mouth-watering.

[Estilo]

The drool-inducing fragrance of cooked vegetables and chicken hung in the warm air around them. Atlas was only knocked out of his trance when his little sister spoke, half of his mind hypnotized with the meal his stomach was currently craving for. When she brought up the prospect of patrolling this area and staying here for the night, the half-masked male gave a bright smile. "Yeah! We can do that." He answered. "This is a pretty nice place; I wouldn't mind reexploring it a bit more." A multitude of Kumogakure officials walked past the ramen bar, layered with the occasional pairing of civilians. He wasn't expecting that much action here mission-wise, but he wasn't looking for any in the first place!

He recalled a time, quite long ago, when he had come across this settlement- a teenager with nothing more but the clothes on his back and a katana strapped to his hip. All he could really remember from then was an unexpected encounter with a rabid dog, and something about eggnog, if that made any sense. To his disappointment, he couldn't always remember the various adventures he'd taken in his early youth. But he was sure that he would recollect a few of these memories the more he familiarized himself with the setting once more. Rubbing the back of his neck, the half-masked male started to wonder if this was him getting old. But really... twenty-four? That wasn't exactly an age known for memory loss. In the end, he attributed his confusion to a lazy and scattered mind.

The chef, one of the quickest he'd seen in the business, at long last arrived with their orders- the delight coming from Atlas' stomach phenomenal. After politely thanking the cook for both their meals, the Akegarasu immediately drew his bowl of chicken and mushroom ramen closer, swiped a pair of chopsticks from the counter, and began to grub. The soup was mildly hot, but just perfect for a starving patron who sought to satisfy his ravenous need for food. The chopsticks twirled and spun in his bowl, gathering noodles, stuffing it in his mouth, then pinching a piece of chicken between its tips and moving that to the Chuunin's mouth.

Luckily for him, the cook had taken his previous request seriously, and added the sufficient vegetables Atlas craved. In a matter of several uninterrupted minutes of feeding, he was finished with his bowl of ramen and completely stuffed. He leaned back on his stool and stretched his arms forward with a content ahh! The smile on his face wide and harmlessly eccentric. "That was delicious." He cooed, turning to his little sister as he straightened in his seat, afterwards putting the sufficient ryo for both their meals on the table. When the cook passed by once more, Atlas requested a tall glass of ice water. And when he received it, he took a big reckless gulp, immediately being struck by brain freeze but losing the effect moments after. The chill of the water sparked him to life. He was ready to continue!

[Yuki-chan]

Luckily, the male agreed to explore this suburban area. The chef gave them their meals and the female gave him a polite bow to show her gratitude. Her eyes widened when the tongue registered the flavours; this was GOOD! "That was delicious." said Atlas before he took a large gulp of his water. He then looked to be in pain...Yukiko winced slightly when she recognized the 'brain-freeze expression'.

'I better take a photo of this ramen bar' thought the girl as she flipped out her camera. She took a picture of the sign with the bar's name on it before she put it back in her backpacker. So far, the Genin had photographed a peregrine falcon plus some natural scenery.
"We better get going" said the female as she finished her meal. People seemed to be done at work now since the street was more crowded now than earlier. She made sure to stick close to the young man so she did not lose him.

'At least we don't have to think about a place to stay. We have already walked past five hotels or inns' thought the female as they ventured into a street that seemed to be a street that made her feel a bit uncomfortable.
She saw three men with tattoos far up on their arms who talked about something. The brunette did not hear much, but her eyes snapped wide open when she heard the word 'knife' and 'break-in'. The girl looked up at the Chuunin; had he heard the same?

"I think I have to take a photo of them" whispered Yukiko before she stopped behind a rather large garbage can. The men were about 30 feet away, but the camera had a small zoom. She made sure that at least two of them were within the camera's range before she snapped a photo.
"We gotta hurry!" urged the female as she saw one of the men look in their direction. He would hopefully not do anything to her, but the male next to her would probably be on their radar.

[Estilo]

A neat little photo of the ramen stand was taken by his younger companion before the two began their departure. Their footsteps carried them back onto the streets of the suburb, a slightly more crowded district since they had entered the ramen stand- the steady flow of civilian traffic moving on in both directions. He was beginning to remember now, his experiences here, and he would visibly smile as he did so. They were good- thank god- and he was almost certain he had not created a bad reputation for himself in this particular area. Having done so would have caused problems.

In his youth, and even now at times, Atlas had a tendency to dive into something with all the good intentions, then emerge having caused more destruction and casualties than it was worth. He was aware of his faults, even then as a teenager, but he could never seem to control his recklessness when found in the heat of a difficult situation he was determined to solve. As he had grown up, however, he felt he had made a wee bit of progress in his effort. He was much more controlled about his actions now, planned a little bit beforehand to avoid as much collateral damage as he could cause- to the wrong people, that is.

He made sure his little sister stuck close as they traversed through the crowds, passing by various establishments and housing districts. The smell of pine was still fresh in the air, only this time diluted and weak. The ground beneath their feet was dusty and littered with pebbles, and each step they took created a miniature cloud. How ironic. The streets they walked through were all interconnected, none of them ending in dead ends, but still- others were particularly longer and a bit more dangerous than most. Apparently, Yukiko and Atlas had taken the wrong- or better yet, right turn at one of these streets. It was long, empty and bordered by two-story houses on both sides. No human life within save for three low-life thieves.

Yes, Atlas had overheard their conversation- their plans for thievery and aggression. And he would not allow it. Before the Akegarasu knew it, his little sister had taken a photo of them, and their attention was suddenly turned to the duo- more so to the tall Chuunin with brunette hair and a white masquerade mask. He smirked, a gesture that said: Bring it on. As they approached in battle-cry, Atlas positioned himself at Yukiko's defense and charged his hands with electricity without the use of handseals- pointing both hands like guns towards the three approaching bandits. Barking out a single laugh as they approached, he enthusiastically shouted, "BANG BANG BANG!" He fired his Danpen Inazuma (Shooting Thunder)- small streaks of lighting that stunned the thieves for the time being and stopped them in their tracks. Quickly turning to Yukiko, his hands still sizzling with electricity, he smiled. "Hit'em hard, sis!"