To the Island!

Paranoid was an understatement. The way Chrollo currently felt, did not have a word in the human vocabulary for it. Since exiting the village gates, he had continued to run, not stopping for anything so far. Occasionally he would look over his shoulder to make sure Taiga was following close behind. He could not risk the boy being injured under his watch. While running through the border between his village, and Konoha, he thinks back on how easy it had been for him to sit within his comfortable chair, in his warm office, and point at the map. The hard part would be ensuring that he, and his ninja could make it to the village unharmed. He would have to watch everything. Turning wide at each corner, just so he would not be caught off guard by anyone approaching. The steady jingling of the ryo in his pocket is slightly calming. He had taken the ryo with him in preparation for the worst. Just in case the village is attacked by cowards while he is away, he does not want them to get anything. He knows the chances of the village being attacked while he is there were already high, and with him leaving the chances were increased. He only hopes the villages defenses would suffice should something like that occur.

The sun begins to go down, and Chrollo regrets not leaving sooner. He would stop running, and attempt to take a break. Now along the border separating the fire nation from the rain village. He walks towards a bench, in front of an inn, and takes a seat. Gathering his breath he looks around wondering how long it would take. Oddly for some reason he remembers getting to the village a lot faster in the past. Had he gotten out of shape? No. That was unlikely, his training sessions since the attempted invasion had doubled in length. In fact, the majority of his free time was spent working out in some type of way. He had even spent a little time doing labor work, and helping the younger ninjas with their missions. Since the lives of many villagers were lost int he cave bombing, he found himself growing closer to the villagers. Something he had told himself he would not do. Simply for the sake of not wanting to get too attached. 

Sitting up from the bench, he stretches slightly, and looks around. He notices a masked man, seemingly headed away from Amegakure No Sato, walk pass him, and into the inn. For a moment, he almost gives in. A little fatigue setting in already he wanted to at least get an hour's worth of rest, but he could not afford to. Doing so, would be too time consuming. Even a measly hour. It would be an hour without him training, an hour without him being within the village protecting it, an hour with him not progressing. Sighing, he begins to run once more, what started off as a slow jog, turned into a sprint. The wind around him blowing into his dark black hair, and pushing the pearl shaped ear rings backwards. He closes his eyes for the moment. He remembered this route. Re-opening them, he continues to sprint. He had traveled this way before with another one of his shinobi. A man older than himself, Shingetsu. He wonders what the boy is doing, and if he could trust him to look over the village while he is away. Shrugging, he continues to run. 'He should be good enough. If not, then I hope he writes me a warning letter or something.' He thinks this while running freely, the wind blowing in his face.

Soon, he would arrive on he edge of the Fire countries borders. A dock is right in front of him. Several common folk climbing onto a boat, for means of travel. He is tempted to rest again, but realizes he has already wasted enough time by resting before. Jumping into the air, he applies a thin layer of chakra around his feet, and begins to run. The water walking technique was very useful for things like this. He could continue running without having ti board a useless boat, that probably would not arrive on the island within a weeks time in fact, Chrollo believed that he could make it to the island before it. Racing, he slows down to a steady pace. His eyes now looking around for the new enemy. This time there were two of them. Pirates of course. They always sailed around in hopes of snatching a large amount of ryo. Which he has. Along with the natural predators, sharks, and other sea creatures. He could not fathom dying after being swallowed by a large fish. That in itself would be embarrassing. After jogging on the water at a slow pace, he looks, around, and picks things up. Kicking into another gear, he flies through the water at full speed. Creating waves, which push away from his body, ripples in the water are created by his pure speed.

It would not take long for him to begin to see the island's frame in the distance. He remembers the last time he came here. It was beautiful. Women dancing on the beach. Island styled music playing in the background, as he, and Naoki trained, Kaede drunk, and Shingetsu...wrestled with kids. He chuckles while thinking about the events in the past, and a horrific thought enters his mind. What if Shimagakure, too had been attacked. What if it no longer stood? Sunken into the ocean like what is rumored to have happened to the great Kirigakure No Sato. He shakes his head angrily. No. That would not happen. Kaede, while he did not know the man's true strength, seemed to be far too powerful. Not to mention Naoki was strong enough that if he lost to him, he would not be ashamed one bit. The village would be standing.

Arriving in front of the island composed Shimagakure No Sato. He cancels the water walking jutsu. Walks onto the sandy beach, and onto the trail which would lead him to the gates.

[Insta Travel to Shimagakure No Sato]

{WC:1030}

Taiga sprinting close by Chrollo watched his leader as the bounced through the borders and passing by the Land Of Fire, What was this strange feeling he got traveling behind the powerful man in front of him. He realized it was an expression coming from his leader that Taiga had no name for but it was obviously eating away at the mans nerves, but what could be done the world was a nerve racking place. Taiga not unlike his leader was highly alert in these unfamiliar territory, constantly checking everything who could possibly know what was awaiting him out there. He continued on bouncing through the borders watching the images of trees and lakes as he continued on keeping a close eye on his leader to be sure he too was safe from any possible harm. Continuing on he pushed himself through out the wilderness watching his leader as the trees and environment around them just seems distant to the speed they proceed at, Taiga's family's chakra stored in his coat kept his speed up as allowed him to press on in this long travel. Time was flying as Taiga looked up at the sun which was exiting the sky leaving behind the darkness called night, but it was to be expected with his late department from the Waterfall Country. He knew them stopping was a call by the man leading their travels, Chrollo Senju the leader of Takigakure no sato. Taiga bounced from branch to branch as he traveled through the lands borders, but their travels were met with a brief stop at a little inn on the borders of the rain country and land of fire. When they stopped Taiga stood watching his leader sit and begin to ponder anything that maybe troubling him, but Taiga did not sit he remained standing till the rest time was over and with the time seemingly flying by he was on the move again.

Taiga running following Chrollo began to allow his thoughts to sink in and he asked himself many questions, "How much longer are we gonna have to travel? When will we find this village? Is this really worth the hassle? I wonder what Chrollo will say when we arrive, or if the other village doesn't think we are weak ever since that attack on the village... So many possibilities and none can be answered now." Onward he went still bouncing from one spot to the other the sounds of his feet popped as they tapped the ground and were airborne once more. Taiga watched tree by tree go by as him and his leader carried on to their destination, but what is it they could expect when they arrive at the gates of Shimagakure no sato. Run. Sprint. Don't linger. Run. Sprint. These were the very basic words that Taiga were listening to as he carried on through the treacherous lands between the countries, but he would no stop nor fear what awaited them in Shimagakure no sato. He ran forward watching his leader as he too seemed to have the appearance of letting his mind drift from their original set state. What could the man he followed be thinking of? Taiga continued on knowing they were safe that together they could conquer all that stood before them, he knew life was going to get better and their strength was going to get better. Again the simple words. Run. Sprint. Don't Linger. Run. Sprint. They were like a broken record as he continued on knowing that stopping out here to rest could be their undoing.

Taiga watched his leader as the landscape before the two of them became the open ocean, but he was surprised at the man he followed as the next move began. Taiga watched the man jump and land on the surface of the water instead of getting on the boat they had seen there waiting for passengers, but who was Taiga to judge the actions of his leader after all the man was his leader. Taiga jumped and touched down at the moment Chrollo had began to run once across the vast ocean, but this did not surprise Taiga as he knew getting there would be oh so very urgent. He began running he was at best guess 5 meters behind Chrollo watching him closely so as not to take the wrong turn on the water and be lost standing on this enormous ocean. He notices a slow down and Taiga wonders what was going on then his mind begins to think of the possible creatures that may be sleeping just below them one that could swallow them both, but this doesn't worry him too bad and he continues to now jog with the leader in front of him. The jogging pace didn't last long before Taiga saw the man sprint at full speed this caused Taiga to smile as he had some incredible speed of his own and with that he too sprinted as fast as humanly possible. He listened to the sounds of his feet tapping against the water and the look of the ripples created as Chrollo's feet touched down one by one, but why some may wonder and that answer is simple boredom, utter boredom. Taiga following his leader pondered what could be ahead in the village hula dancers, palm skirts, tan long legged women? Taiga was beginning to let his slightly perverted side take over before snapping back to reality and seeing an island forming ahead. Moments later their feet touched down on the land and their speed continued across the country with the gates of Shimagakure appearing before them.

[Insta Travel to Shimagakure]
[WC: 941/ Current speed is 110 due to trench coat being worn]