Take a Break [Contract Search]

[Shingetsu Sora]

Overlooking the beautiful water before him, the youthful teen took in the paradisiacal views before him and closed his eyes in appreciation. A lot had transpired in the past few years since he'd started out on the shinobi journey but so had his appreciation of Suna and the greater shinobi world. In a word, he believed in the life and the good that could come from such a society but he also realized that with the good, came the bad and so he had continued to refine himself towards the sort of man that he wanted to be when he grew up. With his awkward teenage body still sometimes betraying him, the earthy skin toned boy continued to soak up the rays of sunshine despite the fact that so many had now retreated onto more fun activities like games on the sand or enjoying the water.

For him, while he certainly wanted to go out and enjoy all that the seaside paradise had to offer, he was was still cautious as to just how well he would fare in the open water. Embarrassingly he was not all that trained with swimming in a non-controlled situation. True, it was a requirement for him when he graduated from the Academy but it was also something that most people of the desert were not all that proficient in due to the lack of large bodies of water within the country. There were many places where water was more plentiful than the rest but ultimately, the desert was the desert was the desert and it was harsh no matter how much a person tried to dress it up.

Recognizing both his strengths and his weaknesses equally, Sora knew that he was going to have to overcome the water at some point but how and when up until this point had been a mystery for him. It was truly only on a whim that he had decided to visit Sora since it seemed a bit too on the nose for him with his name being Sora and the like. Fortunately for him, the name was not all that uncommon even within the village and even with his distinguished features, he was able to mostly go on about his business. A particularly interested shopkeeper pressed him about just what his plans were, not maliciously but more so as a warning concerning not wandering into the wrong location by accident and once Sora told him that he wanted to learn how to swim then the shopkeeper merely smiled and offered more than one distinguished school for such activities. Taking his wares and leaving, Sora kept the name of a number of the schools in the back of his mind but for the moment, he was more content to just explore and find what he would find on his own. His wandering was not aimless but it certainly left him open to discovering more than one new face if he tried hard enough to be a friendly tourist, the sort that all of the local folks would probably invite over for dinner.

WC = 512

 

[Midori Futotta]

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[Shingetsu Sora]

For better or for worse, Sora was allowed to wander by his lonesome. Not overly fretting, he took the change of pace in stride and continued to explore as he enjoyed what the day had to offer. Whether it was doing window shopping or in one particular case, doing actual shopping, what helped in the situations where Sora felt somewhat lonely was that he remembered that he needed the mental break from study and working. There was an age old saying that working too much without taking the time for well deserved rest and relaxation made for situations where the person burned themselves out and Sora found those words to be mostly true.

He would not take for granted the fact that he could even afford to take such a vacation when so many were busy having to cram for this test or the next and as the day began to wind down so too did he. Though it was not his first stint away from home, he figured that it would not hurt to be a good son and get his mom a gift. Asking around, he found a particular shop that had a particular type of jewelry that he thought that she would like. Unable to check the reputable nature of the place, he appreciated that the shop keeper was willing to help him shop around. Finding a seashell necklace, he thought that it was his mothers favorite color. Finding that the price was agreeable, he quickly paid for the necklace and left to find something for his dad.

 

[Shingetsu Sora]

Being a man of few words and more of a doer than an explainer, Sora's dad was the sort of individual that most children assumed only ever worked all the time. Being the quiet man that he was, Sora figured that the easiest thing that he could surmise that his dad would like was something practical. Unfortunately for Sora however, he was in a seaside resort town, the sort of place where practical gifts only applied to the fact that one was on or near a large body of water. If his mom would be considered an easy person to shop for, then his dad would nearly be impossible to please but nevertheless, Sora searched on despite the adversity. Going from shop to shop, he came across a boutique that seemed to cater to the everyman.

Looking from the outside in on the display in the window, there was the usual sort of things for men at a beach, weather appropriate outfits and memorabilia, but there was also the fact that beyond the glass, there seemed to be grooming equipment that his dad would certainly enjoy. Not an expert on shaving himself but certainly willing to express himself via his own grooming norms, Sora quickly made little work in buying all that he could afford. Whether they were hair balms or special razor sets, he even went so far as to buy a special cap for sleeping in that would keep his fathers hair perfectly kempt and easily workable for any style that he chose. Giving a nod of approval, the shopkeeper seemed to thing that Sora was on the right track and even provided a coupon for his next visit. With that shopping experience down though, the day was getting to the point when Sora would need to figure out just what he was going to do for the night.

 

[Shingetsu Sora]

Leaving the shop, Sora look at the wares that he had and realized that he certainly did not want to look too much like a tourist by gawking at the sort of things that he had just bought while on the streets. That and he did not want to invite the sort of riff raff that would probably try to take advantage of his naivety in the ways that this town probably operated. Making his way back to his dwellings for the night he sat down in the comfortable room that was his temporary vacation home away from home and admired his exploits. He was certainly going to win the award for being the number one son in his parents lives and that was not just because he was the only son in their lives. He had spent a good amount of time thinking pretty long and hard about what sort of gift would really resonate with his parents and he was sure that they would be pretty proud of him. The appreciate would be definitely understood at first sight. Hearing his stomach start to growl, he cleaned himself up and decided that he needed to get something to eat before he passed out from hunger pangs. Spying a local eatery list on a short table by the bed, he thumbed through it as he decided on what he wanted to eat. He was not overly picky himself but he also did not want to get something that he could easily find at home.

 

[Shingetsu Sora]

Apparently there was a restaurant that served a special taco dish that could only be found on the coast. Getting cleaned up, Sora quickly prepared himself to possibly get lost while looking for the place. According to what he read, the restaurant was not on the beaten path and in fact was considered a bit of a hole in the wall as the saying went. When he left the inn that he was staying at, he asked one of the innkeepers if they had any thoughts about the restaurant and they assured him that he was in for a treat.

Taking them at their word, he thanked them for the advice and also was sure to check with them concerning the directions but it quickly became apparent as he walked towards where the directions were supposed to lead him that the journey was not going to be one that was easily taken. Quickly finding himself twisted around after failing to remember if he was supposed to take a left or a right at a certain corner, Sora sighed and tried to remember the instructions as he had read them and as they had been given to him. Had he been really smart he would have simply written the instructions down but soon it was not necessary because he managed to continue to get lost until he finally looked up and found the shack that was supposed to be the well known for their famed fish tacos. Ordering up an entire order, Sora thanked the chef and dug in.

 

[Shingetsu Sora]

Perhaps it was the location or perhaps it was the fact that he was just that hungry but Sora ate more tacos in that night than he had ever remembered eating before. With each bite he tasted more of the fish and despite thinking that he could put his finger on which sort of fish that it was, he could not place it and so he had to ask. Apparently the fish was a species native to this particular part of the Wind Country. Speaking to the waiter eventually led to a conversation with the chef who was highly appreciative of having a newcomer appreciate their particularly distinct menu. Unlike the other typical seafood restaurants in the area, the food was not standard fare and was something that required just that much more time and preparation to create. Apparently there was also a dried version that the chef suggested that could be taken on longer trips. How they managed to preserve what was a fish dish for so long was the sort of secrecy that only came with dealing with those in the modern world but before he left, Sora was sure to leave with a promise to return. With a full belly and a wonderful place to return to visit one day, Sora soon found himself back out in the seaside town looking for something to do. He could go back to where he was staying but the night was still young. He certainly did not want to get into any sort of mischief but hopefully the night would not come to that.

 

[Shingetsu Sora]

Large and full, the Moon was captivating with its gaze. Finding himself with little to do and nowhere to go in particular, Sora went down to the waters of the beach and simply sat in the sand while enjoying the sound of the tide. Looking up at the full Moon, he felt the familiar urge of it calling to him by way of the rolling of the tide. Like a song set on repeat, he could not get the sound of the water out of his mind and in some respects it caused him to go into a trance like state. Able to sit and think, he recalled not only the things that had happened during the day but also the whirlwind of time that he had been dragged along by when he thought about his studies in Sunagakure. Simply put, they had proven to be some of the best years of his life and as he continued to look back, there had been a lot of growth on his end and in fact he was all the better for it. That was partially why he had stopped to get his parents gifts. He really had to thank them for making the sacrifice to bring the family to Sunagakure instead of staying in the desert. One day all of their hopes and dreams would pay off but for now, he was content to keep on growing and learning in order to make something of himself so that they could truly be proud of him.

 

[Shingetsu Sora]

When he had at last had his fill for the night, Sora dug his toes into the sand one more time as he took in the full totality of his day thus far and slowly but purposefully got up to his feet from his seated position. Stretching, he yawned and realized that nothing was likely to change in his otherwise uneventful evening to spice things up. There was simply not likely to be another something special to distract him from resisting the urge to get to bed sooner rather than later. Dusting himself off he stuck his hands in his pockets and started on the way back to his lodgings for the evening. Taking his time, he marveled at how the night light seemed to transform the city from the form that he had grown familiar with during the day to one that greatly fascinated him at night. It was as if the city transformed into a totally different creature when the Moon was high above. Even many of the shops seemed to transform. Many of the shops extended their shops out into the cool night air and many patrons of the restaurants that he passed by were enjoying their meals under the light of the Moon and lamps. With a soft yellow glow the night almost seemed mystical but looking on, the special feeling only made him long for the company of somebody that he could share the experience with. A peculiar feeling for him of all people but one that he didn't want to so soon forget.

 

[Shingetsu Sora]

Looking up at the ceiling of the room that he was in, he had long since taken a hot shower, which was surprising all things considered but still welcome, and he was on his way to slowly but surely dozing off for the night. In the end nothing had really much happened to him as he made his way back to where he was staying with both a full stomach and an even more full heart. Sometimes. it was simply to be that things would simply be what they were and this trip, while welcome, was proving to be exactly what he needed it to be, full of rest, relaxation and a healthy dose of appreciation for what he did have instead of what he did not have. Letting the light of the candle dance on the walls of the room, he smiled to himself as the lessons would be clearly sounded down into his mind. Tomorrow on the next day, he would check out and begin the trek home so that he would not scare his parents more than what was necessary. He had told them where he planned to be but he knew what sort of woman that his mother was and he knew even more so what sort of person that his father was and despite the few things that he might have held against them, they were still his parents at the end of the day and they deeply cared for him. Blowing out the candle, he gave another appreciative thought to where he was in life and then he quickly drifted off to sleep.

 

[Shingetsu Sora]

Waking up, Sora felt well rested and ready to get back on the road home. Cleaning up the room, he did his best to make both his mother proud and also Suna by making sure that he was not the sort of tourist to leave everything to the cleaning staff. When he had packed his things up and tucked them away into his traveling bag, he exited the room, paid the rest of what was due for the stay and went on about his way. He did not anticipate anything keeping him from making the journey back home to Sunagakure quickly and efficiently but he was reminded by his grumbling stomach that he probably needed to eat before hitting the road. Bright eyed and refreshed for the road ahead, he wanted to get something quick and so he soon found himself asking for recommendations that led him to a restaurant that he had not encountered before, nor that he could remember passing by. With the morning sun not being too high yet, the coolness of the nights air giving way to the dawn was quickly mixed with the delightful smells coming from the restaurant. Walking in to the establishment, he was greeted by all sorts of delightful and tasty dishes and soon his mouth was watering as he was told to sit where he liked and a menu was quickly brought to him. In no time he had ordered a little bit of everything which went against his normal rule of not eating heavy while traveling but this was an experience that he could not pass up.

 

[Shingetsu Sora]

Simply put, in a word, for all the chips that may have been on the table, Sora felt as though this was the best breakfast that he had ever had in his life, bar, none. While it was true that there might have been a bias towards what was the most recent breakfast that he was enjoying, Sora was pretty sure that he had never had the opportunity to enjoy such a meal as he was currently presented with. Having to fight the urge to make noises while he enjoyed the food, Sora ended up ordering far more than he anticipated. Conveniently, the food was quite a bit lighter on his stomach than he originally figured that it would be. With no choice but to order one of everything, he soon found himself leaning back in his chair with a most satisfied grin on his face and his hands folded on his stomach. Again noting the peculiarity of the situation, Sora also noted the fact that the food seemed to greatly amplify his chakra reserves. While normally food did just that, this food seemed to be even more than normally enhanced with some sort of additive that more than doubled or quadrupled the chakra that Sora would have normally expected to receive. Usually food wasn't an overly reliably quick way to refill depleted chakra reserves but this breakfast proved to be far different than he expected and in fact turned what knowledge that he thought that he had on the matter, on its ear.