A cunning plan (Kether+open to AS)

Students piled out of the classroom in groups.  There was a buzz of  excitement in the air - not only was the festival in swing, but exams were coming up soon and between the two each student was overcome with some mix of excitement and nervousness.

For Hayate, that was also exhaustion.  On top of his extra training, he was also doing deliveries, and the festival had been so much busier for him this year than normal - he liked to relax, and instead was constantly getting tangled up with the other young shinobi of the village.  There was about zero time for his normal hanging about.  

He almost let out a sigh before he remembered the silent Kether was walking besides him.  The two students, initially part of the loners, had formed a - well he wouldn't call it a bond, not out loud, but they understood each other a bit.  Although the man was a bit straightlaced/uptight...

Actually, that gave Hayate a brilliant idea.  Something that might loosen up kether, or at least amuse Hayate while he was so busy and unable to find a lot of fun.  "Hey Kether - I can't train again today, more deliveries.  I know, I know.  But i overheard my mom talking about this GREAT training place, just outside of town - apparently a lot of the experienced ninjas use it for training.  Theres some ground vents that make it really hot, great for endurance and bringing out the chakra.  They've even put a fence around it to keep the civillians out so they can practice in full.   I can draw you a map if you like."

If Kether wanted to go, Hayate would bend down and draw Kether a map in the dirt to the place he heard his mom describing to Yata that morning, just outside of town, though they were talking about relaxation.  Apparently it was started, but never got far and wasn't officially done, so most people didn't know about it.  Yata had said she'd check it out later, so if his timing was right.....

Hayate would draw the map to purposefully go around the rear, far away from the normal entrance, claiming that front side was heavily warded to keep out non-ninjas.  Now just to see if he was going to go.


WC 381

Another day of classes was over, which meant more time to do some practice with his jutsu. He’d gotten pretty good with them, but he knew there was always room for improvement. He wanted to become so comfortable with how jutsu worked that it would become almost second nature to him, but the jutsu he had been working on were so basic that he didn’t feel as though he was really getting any stronger.
 
As he walked out of the classroom, he glanced over at Hayate. The younger boy had been Kether’s training partner for a little while now and the two of them seemed to have become more in tune with each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Hayate was certainly much stronger and faster than Kether, although Kether’s grasp of jutsu came more naturally. The two made a pretty effective pair. When he said that he couldn’t train today, a feeling of disappointment rose inside of Kether. That’s odd, he thought to himself as he realized the feeling. [i]I’ve never felt disappointed to be training on my own before. What is this?”
 
As Hayate continued, his eyes widened. A new training place might be just what he needed to practice some new jutsu, although from the sound of it, people who weren’t invited didn’t seem particularly welcome. Was it worth the risk of getting caught being somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be? Especially in Kirigakure, where forgiveness wasn’t exactly the virtue of choice. ”A new training ground would be quite beneficial,” he said after a few moments of thought. The only way he would surpass other shinobi was by taking any advantage he could get. Besides, he was old enough that he could conceivably pass for a Genin.
 
As Hayate drew the map, Kether analyzed every detail of it. He could probably manage to make it out to the area within half an hour if he left now. That would give him a few hours of training before he’d have to head back home. ”Thank you for the information, Hayate,” he said with a slight bow. ”I hope your deliveries go well.” Maybe if he trained in that heat, he’d even be able to increase his physical stamina enough to pull ahead of Hayate. That would certainly make it worth the risk.

WC: 382

Hayate smiled as Kether said he'd go, hoping the guy would mistake it for a genuine emotion instead of mirth.  This was something his buddy... ahem Kether.... needed, one way or the other.  And it would hopefully be quite the story.  And he could always feign ignorance, saying he didn't know, he misheard, he thought it really was.  With that, he was off to do more deliveries.

WC 67 TWC 448


Exit, claiming 2 stats and 448 towards  Sword Mastery (was 552/2000 now 1000/2000)