[IC] Shūkyō Kaikaku (Naruto AU)

[Innue]

Suishō and Shadan

Suishō smiled at Homura's question, her mind strolling back through her memories, "They were memorable, to say the least. Shadan and I actually took the exams together. We were the final two from Kyokujitsgakure to make it through the final stage. We actually fought each other in the final match of the tournament stage. Neither of us could best the other, so we eventually had to end it in a tie. It was also when we first met. We had said no words to each other, but we had already said so much about each other during that match."

She placed her right hand on Shadan's arm, her fingers squeezing it lightly.

"As for becoming a Proctor, I'm not sure how that works now. Sankage Ayameko typically has been having one of the Nara clan members handle the exams. I believe Miss Shiou will be handling them this year. You are right though, there have been fewer promotions lately. I can only speculate, but I suspect she just wants to be cautious about who is promoted. We aren't in wartime, so we can be more selective about our promotions. We don't need as many Jounin leaders on the battlefield."

Suishō knew that Homura should know the name - Shiou was the leader of two of the major divisions of Kyokujitsgakure. She was one of the few true prodigies of Kyokujitsgakure.

[Masaki Haruna]

Still very insistent on being an aide for Alia, Homura need not know what to say for she just keeps moving forward with a smile. "It will be an honor, Dragon Sage." She does a bro fist sign while talking to him.

She turned to Suishou and Shadan, thinking as if they are a good couple and she was delighted. Sure everything right now is at peace and things are going in a calmer direction than a heated one, it is the circle of life. "I see! I see!..." She said with a foolish face.

Homura sighed, "Ohh..... It's not like I got nothing better to do or anything, thanks anyway." 'No, that's not it, It's just lying for the sake of not embarrassing myself, it's totally boring and lonely as if thousand years have passed. I don't see anyone from my batch promoted, the grass sure feels greener on the other side.'Homura's thought to herself, she does indeed feel lonely for she has not seen any of her teammates and friends, hence why she wants to be a proctor to do something productive.

Flashback
Lady Shiou, she is such a legend, Homura remembered seeing her face somewhere before and a nostalgia caught her dating back to her first day as a Genin.

She idolizes a lot of people,specifically Kunoichi "I wish to be like Lady Ayameko and Lady Shiou, they are my inspiration!." Homura is a die hard fan of both, especially Lady Ayameko.
Flashback end.

[The 42nd Gecko]

Zilant chuckles, which is a very deep throaty affair for a dragon, if he is not merely imitating a human sound but laughing for himself, "Haha... I have never been called a Sage before.. Allia, do I look sage to you?" He curled his neck back to look at Allia sidelong when he questioned her.

Allia was stirred out of her contemplation as Zilant addressed her, "Oh, um.. Heh, well, for someone who hasn't met a lot of dragons, I'd say you look pretty sage." She scratched at his neck a little behind his ears, as one would a cat who happened to be covered in scales with a rather long neck.

"Well, do you need to get anything or do you need any help getting on? Allia asked, stretching out a hand for Homura to take if she needed to.

[Innue]

Suishō and Shadan

"Safe travels my new friends," Shadan nodded, his deep voice thundering, bordering on what most would classify as a shout. "And many thanks Lady Allia. I hope to see you again someday. You are always welcome on the border in the house of Yūdai."

Suishō sighed outwardly, shaking her head before turning and walking back towards the small outpost they were stationed at. The homes for the area were scattered in the trees around the tower, to provide protection from the cold winds that blew off of Land of Snow, as well as provide visual cover. Shadan lingered, wanting to see off his new friends with a hearty wave.

Then he, as well, would return to duty and later at night, to the warmth of the fire and family.

((Short but I am hoping this will help transition us to Kyoku.))

[The 42nd Gecko]

"Farewell! It was wonderful to meet you!" Allia waved cheerfully, happily weathering the thundering cheer of Shadan. When one has been yelled at by a dragon, it takes might lungs indeed to be too loud. Then her smile and wave faltered a second before resuming again at a slightly more somber tone. "I will visit again," Her voice faltered slightly, "If I am able." It was a sad truth that their countries always had that chance, however slight, that they might break into war, and any promises between them would be left unfulfilled in the terrors of war.

Allia wondered if this was what caused Suishō's wariness of outsiders. Friends made in other countries might simply be forging the bitter seeds of friends one has to fight to the death. But, Allia shook her head and smiled, eyes slightly watering. Here she was, almost crying about what she was simply imagining! "Goodbye!"

Zilant took off, "Hmph... Humans have such long goodbyes."

"Time spent apart is more bitter when you have less time to spare, oh Elder Dragon Sage!" Allia was still slightly teary, still in slightly somber thoughts even as she made a slight jab at Zilant.

"Haha! Save such talk of time spent apart when it is battle-tested friends you cry over, not roadside acquaintances!" Zilant's laugh was his imitation of the human form, a nod to how he did find humor in Allia's statement despite it not being funny enough for him to give a genuine laugh. One had to get creative sometimes.

"Still, they were good people, Zilant. And I know too few of them!" Allia looked over her shoulder, just spotting Shadan's last few waves before he turned away.

"I didn't take you for a homewrecker, Allia. I didn't know you were so""ZILANT!"

The dragon laughed genuinely this time, a rumbling affair that shook his whole neck, making Allia have to cling to him to remain aboard.

"Too easy. Still, if you are so fond of then, perhaps their eldest would be..."

"Zilant, if he's still in the academy, he's probably a dozen years my junior." Allia was guessing. She sure hoped she wasn't heading to some place filled with what Zilant would consider eligible bachelors. She'd have to figure out some way to keep him occupied while she was visiting the academy.

"Mmm... Fine, fine." Zilant grumbled

~~

After dropping off their uncharacteristically silent companion, Allia and Zilant had requested directions to the academy, and headed there next.

Zilant left her to navigate the city alone as he circled around the area.

Spying some children at play but with abilities that exceeded that to be expected of children of that age, Allia thought she might have stumbled onto the right place. The fact that they were playing dodgeball, but with rocks and poor clones seemed to scream "ninjas in training".

Seeing a child in a green tunic with pants tightened around the lower calves, with a freckled, androgynous face that Allia wasn't quite sure if it was a boy or a girl with brown curly hair down to the bottom of his or her ears, "Pardon me, but is this the academy." She bent down slightly to address the child on a closer level. The child turned to look at Allia just in time to see Allia catch a rock with her face.

The child giggled slightly, smothering his or her face to try and deaden the sound, but the child was slightly surprised to it fall away from her face leaving nothing more than an easily wiped away smudge, catching the rock with her other hand.

Looking up, she noticed the thrower quickly by the one that simply stood there with a guilty look on his face while his friends skedaddled. A green hoodie-like garment with similar pants to this one. Very short black hair, an obvious boy cut.

Smiling, Allia straightened up, tossed the rock above herself, and made a few handsigns. Panic briefly caught the child's face, but Allia snatched the rock out of the air before he moved, and cracking could be heard, and then... "Catch." Gently lobbed it to the child. Who caught it easily. Then, the rock turned to dust in his hands. The child was confused but shrugged it off and started playing with his friends again.

"Oooh ooh, are you an Earth Jutsu user?" The child Allia had first addressed nearly bounced up and down, an idea clearly running through the child's head.

"Mmm... Nope. It's a contract ability. I can use it because I swore a pact with a dragon clan."

The small child's eyes lit up at the mention of "Dragons" but then got disappointed as the child realized it probably couldn't learn that technique. "Aw... I wanted to make a trade, showing you the academy for you teaching me that trick."

"Well, that might be out, but we still might make a trade." Allia smiled at the perceived strangeness. Sheesh, the kids started thinking so deviously early when they were training to be ninjas. "But first we should know each others names! I'm Allia."

"That's a funny name... I'm Yuriko." The child tilted her, probably given the name.

"Well, Yuriko. I don't know about earth, but I could certainly try teaching you some wind jutsu if you want to try." Allia put a hand on her hip as she waved the other one, feeling quite silly but enjoying it nonetheless, "Just be careful though, not everyone can use every element. If it turns out you can't use Wind Element chakra, I'll just have to owe you one."

"No fair! You're an outsider, we'll probably never meet again!" Yuriko pouted.

Allia opened her mouth, before the weight of what had been said hit her. Even the children seemed to know it, instinctively from the cultures they lived in. The borders were more than just identity checks to keep out pirates and brigands. Taking a moment longer than she would have liked, she tried to continue in the same spirit she had been before. "That's the deal, I still have to take the same amount of time to teach you the wind element whether or not you can actually use it or not."

"Mmm... Fine.." Yuriko didn't seem completely convinced yet that this was a good idea, but still wanted any way to get ahead of the boys that she could, and private lessons with an outsider! A smile took to her face as she grabbed Allia's hand and pulled her around a corner. "It's real close! We snuck away to Michiko's yard because it's real close to the Academy and then they can't watch us play!" She grew more and more sure that she'd totally be a wind element user and get cool powers and show all the boys she was the best in class!

Ah, so that's why they were able to play dodgeball with rocks... Allia thought to herself.

And so, the Junior Academy Student Yuriko dragged outsider Allia to the Academy. Of course, there was some confusion about which branch Allia had wanted to go to, seeing Allia herself had no idea how the Academy was separated out, but hey, at least they were on the right campus.

~~

Meanwhile..

~Must... Not... Make... International... Incident... Over... Delicious... Succulent... Looking... Sheep...~