[center][color=#000000][h3][U][B]Zume Tatasuko[/B] – [I]Suiteiru Meian[/I][/U][/h3][/color]Date: 5/01/1925; Location: Leaving Onteimura; Time: Morning[/center]
Hugging his wife tightly for a long minute or so, Zume enjoyed the feeling before he gently pulled away, his eyes locking with hers. There was a silent exchange of information before he smiled gently and pecked her on the lips, after which he turned and strode down the stairs and out the house. He had business to attend and part of that business involved travel--as it so often did with him.

The shade wished he could have stayed with his wife and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon, but unfortunately that was not the case--as it frequently was not when cycles shifted.

So it was that The Vacant Shade departed Onteimura and headed out into the world, on a search for the meaning behind the cycle's shift. Perhaps he would find it in Kyokujitsu no Tochi...or perhaps it would be in the least expected place of all. It was impossible to tell with these things. At least, it was for most that is.

He would find out in time. He always did.[hr][center][color=#AF924F][h3][U][B]Uranaisha, Syu-lerne[/B] – [I]The Sand's Apparition[/I][/U][/h3][/color]Date: 5/01/1925; Location: Land of Wind; Time: Morning[/center][hr]
Having long since arrived in the village, the puppeteer watched as the ship unloaded several volleys of cannonballs onto the village. Luckily everyone was more or less evacuated by then. His eyes shifted to Kawari riron and he gestured. Immediately the puppet took off, running across the water with ease. While he watched the puppet that was effectively his body double head in the ship's direction he noted that Dune Hunter's approach had been somewhat halted by a whirlpool. It made a small, cruel smile form  behind his mask. If he had known the maneuver was unintentional he wouldn't have been smiling.

[color=#AF924F][b]"Let the hunt commence,"[/b][/color] he said quietly, before he leapt forwards, following the ship, but staying hidden along the shoreline. He'd keep pace for as long as was required. This pirate wasn't getting away.[hr][center][color=#AF924F][h3][U][I]Sakyū ryōshi[/I][/U][/h3][/color][/center][hr]
Its master taking note, Dune Hunter's disintegration field activated in sequences, altering the flow of water around its form as it swam, regaining its ability to move through the water, rather than be taken into the sway of the whirlpool. The puppet easily tore away and zero'd in on the ship, jumping out of the water and over the entire mine field of explosive barrels before diving back into the water on the other side and pursuing the ship, its form swiftly becoming nigh undetectable beneath the waves.

The puppet resumed its approach of the ship.[hr][center][color=#8A0A5F][h3][u][b]Shiso Amaguya[/b] – [i]The Swimming Feline[/i][/u][/h3][/color]Date: 5/01/1925; Location: Land of Wind; Time: Morning[/center][hr]
Allowing Hiroshi to board the ship, Shiso instead willed the water beneath her to encircle her legs and lift her into the air. In the same moment she channeled more water into the stream that held her aloft and struck forwards within the water, as if undeterred by its resistance to her movements. In response water struck out from the stream below her, driving in horizontal cylinders of highly pressurized water towards the ship. Additional water had formed around each of her arms, stored there in case someone tried to cut the stream that connected her main source.

She had every intention of the streams cutting into the top of the ship as well as throwing many a sailor overboard.[hr][center][color=#417994][h2][U][B]Mayonaka, Seisui[/B] – [I]The Tranquil Lotus[/I][/U][/h2][/color]Date: 5/01/1925; Location: Iwagakure; Time: Noon(?)
[img]http://oi50.tinypic.com/2yvlx1x.jpg[/img][/center][hr]
Remaining largely silent as he caught up to the trio he was traveling with. They often took him to interesting places, not to mention that Chiyoko was a font of wisdom in her own right.

Approaching, the swordsman bowed his head respectfully to the guards before he spoke, his tone level and calm as the wind through the trees or the creaking of a forest. [color=#417994][b]“I wish to participate as well. Perhaps I can offer a show of skill. Ah, where are my manners,”[/b][/color] he smiled, [color=#417994][b]“I am Mayonaka, Seisui of the Land of Iron.”[/b][/color] He bowed his head once more, before raising it. He had a presence about him, one borne of the highly trained...one borne of a focused mindset, created by a form of inner peace.

It lent many things to the man, but one was a measure of intimidation, whereas the other was a strange calm. Two opposing things from the same aura.

He was hard to read in some ways.[hr][center][color=#294592][h3][U][B]Kanagata, Himawari[/B][/U][/h3][/color]Date- 5/01/1925, Location- Kumogakure (Academy classroom), Time- Morning
[img]http://i39.tinypic.com/5upb21.jpg[/img][/center][hr]
Departing the Kanagata compound, the young genin had a smile on his face as he headed to the Academy where he'd be meeting his new team today. It was truly an achievement to have graduated, not that the elders thought much of it. To them it had apparently been an expected result of his enrollment. He wished they'd calm their expectations a bit, but he didn't let any of it bother him much. The rest of the way to the Academy he thought on who his teammates might be.

Perhaps Eijuro, Kai or Nazomeku, Teren? Unlikely, not a good match, plus he wasn't terribly buddy buddy with anyone really so it wouldn't bother him as to who he got picked to be with. Then it hit him, there [i]was[/i] that pompous light user, he might be fun to hang out with, if only so he could make snide remarks about his alleged superiority. Plus he might make an amusing rival. With this in mind he reached the Academy grounds and ran the rest of the way to his class.

Nonetheless he arrived a bit late though he managed to just barely catch his team being announced, thus illiciting a grin. Glancing at the sensei and bowing respectfully, an apologetic look on his features as he did so, the Kanagata made a point to wordlessly apologize for being late. The elders had kept him, he'd explain later if necessary.

However, now was not the time for that, as he turned away, upon rising from his bow, and headed to the board where Akira his two teammates had migrated to. Apparently checking their mission. As he approached he noted Masshiro rush past him and lean out the door. Raising an eyebrow he walked over to Akira and punched the boy in the arm in a friendly manner. He figured it might annoy him, [color=#294592][b]“So, let me guess, you wrote me off as average because of my grades?”[/b][/color] There was a small smirk on his face as he stated the rhetorical question. Himawari was pretty good at learning people and it also helped that Akira was full of himself, judging people very easily. It was a simple set of points to connect to come to his conclusion.

Hopefully he was right. If he wasn't, it would only lower the imaginary status that Akira had almost certainly assigned him. Either way it'd end up fun. One way Akira might get annoyed and the other way he could prove him terribly wrong the first time they sparred or fought together.

He couldn't wait to find out which it was.