Sukai sat next to the lake with his hand behind his head and his eyes closed. It was just one of those days were he felt like doing nothing. Afterall, he was traveler with Haru. He was never in a rush to do anything. He grinned. Even as a child he was never in a rush for anything. It was just him. Laid back 'ol Sukai. Taking a deep breath he sat up at the sound of footsteps. He was't worried about wh it was, he just didn't want to get stepped on was all.

(should we bring Etsu into this?)

Shen walked through the open, his hands behind his head as he walked. Things seemed so screwed up in the world right now, but still there were always those little shimmers of happiness that came along every now and then. Shen was passing by the lake when he heard something or someone shift. He stopped at the scent it produced rather than the sound. He sighed. It was Sukai. Things seemed to have gotten unspeakably difficult for them. And unspeakably is meant literally. After what happened with him and Lulu and Shen, well...things got a little out of hand after Sukai left. Lulu had betrayed the village and disappeared. And for the most part before everything had happened, Sukai and Shen had gotten along pretty well. Shen turned and took a few steps towards Sukai, stopping about ten feet behind the guy. "Hey Sukai. Long time no see," he said calmly.

(It's you decision)

Sukai looked at Shen as he came up, noticing that he'd stop agod distance away. The two had had a pretty bad run in when Shen had started hanging a bit too much with his girl. But tthat was a while ago and Sukai didn't like haning onto the past for too long. I wasn't the way he did things. "Hey Shen, it has been quit a while. The last time I saw you was the first day I came back to the villages." Sukai's blue gave away nothing, he wasn't a threat, unless he wanted to be.

(Idk, if it starts getting boring, she can randomly run in from nowhere, lol)

Shen shifted his hat a little when Sukai spoke. He couldn't get it out of his head that it was his fault Sukai left. He sighed. "Yeah. How've things been going for you?" he asked. "I heard when you left you went out looking for other members of your clan," he said with a shrug. As fas as that went, Shen couldn't relate. He had family in the Stealth, but many of them didn't say two words to Shen. Mostly because they'd all found out he was a wolf, and that his father had lied to them. A lot of them thought that Shen was the spitting image of his dad, that he acted just like him. And his father had gone and run off with his mom to who knows where. And as far as searching for the wolf side of his family, he could care less about that. But....those wolves him and Etsu had a run-in with not too long ago seemed to know a bit about his father. He was considering going to check that out sometime.

Sukai shrugged. "Yeah, I found Haru, an older cousin of mines, so things have been going fairly smoothly." He then gave a small hint of a smile. "I hear that you've been promoted to ANBU Captain, how's that going for you?" He asked. He bet this conversation was nothing that Shen would expect.

Shen only looked at Sukai as he said that he'd found an older cousin of his. He shrugged when Sukai said that he heard that Shen'd been promoted to ANBU captain. "It's been going well I guess." Shen, being his arrogant self, walked next to Sukai, keeping a few feet between them, then plopped on the ground. He didn't have much to do today. "You know. With all that's going on between the villages now, we could really use your help," he said, looking at Sukai. He hadn't meant to look arrogant when he went and sat down, he just didn't see Sukai as a threat, so he had no problems with doing it.

Sukai looked at Shen as he started to walk towards him and then sat down. He listened in silence as Shen said they could use him in the villages. "Is that right? Can't you guys handle it? You beat the Akastuki before, can't you do it again?" He then shrugged. "Unless, they've become overly powerful." He looked at Shen and raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me they really have overthrown you all in power."

Shen sat in silence until Sukai finished. "Absolutely not. Other things are factoring in as well. The treaty between the Stealth and Snow has been broken for a while, now there's talk going on of war. The akatsuki took over the death valley. We can't afford to send too many ninja out, but Tenkuu is doing it anyways. Things aren't going well for the Stealth right now. With both the war with the snow on the horizon and the death's overthrow, things aren't looking too good and we need all the help we can get. Tenkuu also sent out ninja to help with the invasion in the magma village. We can't spare as many ninja as she's sending out," he said. He didn't want to try and tell Sukai that Tenkuu was wrong in what she was doing, but Shen clearly thought she was. He thought that before dealing with the akatsuki in the death, as much as he hated to say it, the Stealth should've been dealing with their own situation first. At this rate they'd be overthrown within the month.

Sukai shook his head. Tenkuu wasn't thinking properly, but he understood her intentions. "That's alot," he told him. "Never thought the Akatsuki would rise to power like that again." Sukai shrugged. "And war with the Snow? Just what did you all do to piss them off. If anything you all should be working together to help the others out, but whatever, not my decision."

Shen only shrugged when he asked what the stealth did to piss off the snow. "Not sure exactly. No one is clear on the details really," he said. "And trust me, the last thing we wanna do is go to war again, especially not so soon after the one with the akatsuki," he said with a sigh. He wasn't the kage, but Tenkuu needed someone there to advise her, because she was gonna run the stealth into the ground at this rate. And Kenjiro was leaving for the Crested soon as far as he was aware, which meant that soon Shen would be second in charge of the village. Not the best idea as far as Shen was concerned, but whatever.

Sukai sighed. "You guys reallly are messed up." He said. Sukai didn't know what to do. Maybe he should go back. "You should tell her she's making a mistake," he said. "If not then you can kiss the Stealth goodbye. The Snow already outnumber you guys. On top of that it's filled with supernaturals." Sukai sighed. "You guys had better start collecting your payments for helping out these other villages," he said.

Shen only sighed when Sukai said that he should tell Tenkuu she was making a mistake. "I know. But it's not my place to do that." His eyes fell onto the lake. His so-called place in life had never stopped him before. Younger adults had to learn to make their own mistakes. But at the same time, when others lives were on the line, older people had to step in to prevent something bad from happening. Sure Shen wasn't much older than Tenkuu, but he was old enough to know better than her. "At the same time though...you're right. I can't let this continue," he said calmly.

Sukai looked at Shen coldly. "You can't? No, that's not good enough. You won't let her continue to make these mistakes. You're a Captain, act like one. I may not be there, but the Stealth was my and always will be my home." Sukai stood up. "This will be your repayment to me, and you know what I'm talking about so don't even look surprised. Sukai took a deep breath. "Take this as a promise, not a threat. If the Steath falls during this crisis, I'll hunt you down and kill you."

Shen only looked at Sukai as he stated coldly that he should start acting like a captain. He blinked as Sukai said that this would be Shen's repayment to him. He didn't like the fact that Sukai was holding that over his head, and for an instant had the urge to attack Sukai for it then and there. But that was purely his untamed wolf instincts acting up. Any threat had to be eliminated, that was how life was, and right now Sukai was posing himself as a threat. When Sukai said that he'd hunt Shen down and kill him if the Stealth fell during this crisis, Shen only laid back and pulled his hat over his eyes, then crossed his arms behind his head. "Yeah, I gotcha," he said nonchalantly. He didn't care if Sukai had stood up to make himself seem more serious or threatening or whatever. Shen needed to save his strength for the real enemy and Sukai wasn't it.

Sukai looked at Shen as he just laid back and said okay Sukai crossed his arms over his chest. So, things were fiinally settled. It took them long enough to get that straight. Sukai would remember the promise he'd just made. He didn't want his home to fall. If push came to shove he'd come back and help the village to the best of his abilities. "Good." Was all he would say to Shen's response.

Etsu had followed Shen somewhat to the open. She crawled up the hill with her eyes narrow. She pretending to stalk him. Looking over the hill she saw Shen and a blue haired guy. Pausing for moment she ran up to him and jumped on his stomach. "Gotcha!" She said with a small laugh.

Shen had pretty much started just waiting for Sukai to leave after he'd just said good, but it seemed that the guy was still there. After a few moments, Shen heard what sounded like little footsteps coming down the hill and didn't expect it when Etsu jumped on him, so his breath kinda caught for a moment before he lifted his hat in surprise and looked at Etsu. He grinned. "I thought I left you at home," he teased.

Etsu smiled as she looked at her. "I got bored," she said. She gave him a quick hug and then stod up so he could get up. "So I came here," she told him. "And you were here with your friend." Etsu fell backwards. She looked up at Sukai. "Hello."

Sukai looked at the girl as she came up and jumped on Shen. She was no more than about four. Sukai knew she wasn't his daughter, he didn't see Shen as the father type of guy. "Hello," he said to her. He then looked at Shen. "Your sister?"

Shen smiled as Etsu hugged him. "Well I figured you woulda gone and played with some friends rather than following me if you got bored," he said with a laugh. Shen then looked at Sukai, his smile fading slightly as he asked if Etsu was his sister. "Not really," he said. "I just watch after her," he told Sukai. He then ruffled Etsu's hair. "This is Sukai, Etsu." He then looked to Sukai. "This is Etsu."

Etsu grinned. "That's why I came to the open, I don't know anyone in the Stealth." She said. She thn waved. "Hello Sukai, are you one of Shen's friends," she askd. She then looked at Shen. "I'm hungry, can we go eat?" She looked up at Sukai. "Are you hungry?" Etsu didn't mind asking questions, she believed people learned from asking questions. Even if they were a bit off.

Shen only smiled when she said she didn't know anyone in the Stealth. "Maybe later we can go introduce you to some of the kids there, how about that?" he said with a smile. When she asked if they could go eat, he nodded. "Yeah sure. Where do you want to go?" he asked. He didn't really care where it was, as long as she was happy. The poor girl couldn't have been to many restaurants before, if any at all. When she asked if Sukai was hungry she blinked, then shrugged before looking to Sukai. "Wanna come along?"

Sukai looked at Shen. So he was just takng care of the kid. Interesting enough. "I'm not really hungry," he said when asked if he was hungry or not. It would also serve the purpose of asking Shen's question. He gave a small smile. "Though it was nice to meet you, Etsu." He looked at Shen. "Later."

Etsu frowned as Sukai turned down the offer. "Nice to meet you too," she said before turning to Shen and grinning. "I want a rice ball with a sour ball, and some red bean soup as well. Oh and some tea too." She then sat up and started to roll around the ground. "That way I'll never be hungry again." She said.

Shen only shrugged when Sukai turned down the offer. He wasn't particularly disappointed. When Sukai said later, Shen gave a small wave. "I won't forget that little promise of yours either, you can count on it!" he called after Sukai with a confident grin on. He then turned to Etsu when she named off what she wanted and smiled. "Alright then, let's go get that order little missy," he said, getting up with a grin. He then picked her up and put her on his shoulders. "Up you go," he said with the same grin, as he started walking. He knew just the place they could go. The people there were really friendly.