[b][i]Uzumaki Ren[/i][/b]

Uzumaki Ren did not know if Mu liked other boys 'that way', or even if he found that okay. Nevertheless, what harm would it inflict if he tried to ask his fellow academy student out? So the boy went over to the woodcarving Ninja Student, waved hi, and said, "Hey, Hayashi; let me dry you up."

Part of it was a genuine pity for Mu and a real desire to help. Another motive, one Uzumaki Ren tried to deny as he made the hand signs needed to blow that gust of air needed to dry Mu's clothes, was something less innocent, and the boy was self-aware enough to know that fact and feel guilt that he even had that side motive and shame that it didn't need a sensor to detect it; anyone well-versed enough in body language and facial expressions would know. Nevertheless, counting on the fact that Mu may not be that person, Uzumaki Ren pressed on and said to the other boy:

"So, you said something about getting a bite to eat? If so, I know a place that sells these nice red bean mochi and this newfangled thing called ice cream! Want to come with me, just the two of us? I can understand if you're too busy, or if you think we don't know each other well enough..."

[i]Or if you only like girls, in which case, we can just be friends and I can look for another boy or a sufficiently pretty and badass girl. Heck, the two of us can even talk [b]about[/b] girls as I like them too.[/i]

Deep inside, however, Uzumaki Ren was afraid that he'd get this wrong or that Mu was [i]really[/i] against boys getting together with boys, in which case he should avoid talking about it with the woodcarving student and instead keep things secret while he looked for someone else. Either way, the boy waited for Mu to answer him, even as a voice in his head whispered, almost imperceptively, of danger - This instinct had sharpened since the death of his first crush, and demanded that Uzumaki Ren listens to it.

Eventually, the boy conceded to its demands by saying, "Let's make sure our weapons are ready, though; things are tense outside of Konoha right now - I heard from my parents that I should at least keep ready. I mean, we have enemies just like everyone else, and they're bad people who would attack even kids. But don't think I'm trying to scare you - I just want us to practice being on high alert as good ninjas should..."

[i]Liar,[/i] were Uzumaki Ren's thoughts as he flashed back to his first crush; the student tricked into treachery and who died a dog's death for it. [i]I should have done something to stop it. But what? What could I have done?[/i]

[b][i]Satoshi Shimura[/i][/b]

Satoshi Shimura was practicing his Jutsu in the privacy of his home. The infiltrator from Sunakagure had not broken yet, but the Jounin had other ways of getting information, ways that would be unsettling even to the Torture and Interrogation Team. Why was that? Because he was looking for an alternate universe where he had been adopted by a Shinobi from Suna instead of Konoha, or even a universe where he had defected from Konoha [i]to[/i] Suna himself. 

This search was done through meditation while using the complicated hand seals that made up the Mirror of Possibilities technique combined with his Time-Space Ninjutsu. Sending out his mind to fish for a potential alternate present, one where he had been one of Sunakagure's own ANBU, Satoshi finished his hand signs and layered his existence with that alternate self.

His uniform and equipment changed, and a mask appeared on his face, one marked with the Suna emblem. If Konoha's Shinobi were keeping tabs on him, they'd suspect something sinister and they might be somewhat right in that... But he was not disloyal. [i]Not yet.[/i]

So while transformed, Satoshi went to his desk and began writing down what his alternate self knew about Suna's intentions toward Konoha, all the while taking into account that Alternate Suna might not [i]have[/i] hostile intentions towards the Land of Fire as a whole. Nevertheless, some things stayed common throughout timelines and worlds and it was that Suna tried hard to be stronger than it currently was. This means that its Kazekage often made immoral bargains to achieve said strength...

[@anothered][@Lewascan2]