It was a relaxed travel experience, as far as Aoi was concerned. No battles with bandits or enemy shinobi threatened them, and despite his father's almost constant stream of conversation, which at this point was more of an impressive monologue, he found that he was more than capable of almost enjoying the travel.

Night had fallen at this point, and camp was set. A small fire burned, heating a stew of the rabbit Aoi had earlier skewered and skinned with his kunai. For once, Shin had settled down and was content to just be near his son. Soon enough, the meal was done and the air was filled with the clank of wooden spoons lifting the stew to eager mouths.

Eventually, the silence was broken. "Hey, Aoi-sensei, have you ever been to Kumogakure?" It was Jinhai, pure curiosity adorning his face.

The jonin shook his head. "I haven't been." There was another lull into silence.

"What do you think it will be like?" Kuria posed the question this time. An expression of unrest gracing her expression, her worry evident.

"From what I have heard, it is a village that extends up into the skies. The buildings are contained in soaring mountains, almost to the point that you can't differentiate them from the actual mountains surrounding." An almost imperceptible shrug danced across his shoulders. "It is a fair distance north of Konoha, so it can be assumed that it will be colder as well."

At this point, Shin broke in. "The Kumo shinobi are strong willed. That can be said for most ninja of the five villages though. For the most part, they spend their time up in their homes, which aren't easily reached, a great defensive position to be sure, however around the chunin exams many stalls and shops will set up at the base of the mountains. Mostly because visiting nobles aren't accustomed to the altitude difference. Most hotels will also be on the lower streets as well." His short explanation drew some questioning glances, so he supplied more information. "I took my chunin exams in Kumogakure as well. It's quite a beautiful village, if you aren't scared of heights."

"Isn't there a kage in this village as well?" Eiji, ever focused on the more 'important' aspects of the village, posed this question.

Shin let out a nervous chuckle. "Yes, the Raikage. He is possibly the most bull-headed shinobi that I have encountered. Very loud and very determined, he leads mostly by riling up his village. Very good at it too, giving speeches and all that. Very good for general moral. I've heard that his skills for paperwork and discussions can be lacking though." Aoi nodded at this, since Tsunade had told him much the same thing about the village leader.

Seeing that the children had finished their meal, Aoi spoke up then. "It's getting late, I suggest you three get some sleep. We still have about a week until we reach Kumogakura."

The children all nodded, knowing the quick pace Aoi liked to set on their travels outside the village. Almost as one, they rolled into their sleeping bags. Aoi looked over at Shin for a second before standing and turning from the fire. His eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness as he took a few steps from the light. Focusing some chakra into his ears and eyes, he expanded the range he could sense. Dinner was one matter, but it wouldn't do to not have a guard during the night.

It was silent for quite a while, and Aoi thought that maybe Shin had fallen asleep, but a sharp intake of breath disillusioned this thought. "How are you feeling?" If not for the forewarning, Aoi might have been startled by this sudden question from his father.

"I'm fine," There was a pause before Aoi went on, "Why do you ask?"

The fire gained a new light behind him and the shifting of wood told Aoi his father had taken to stirring the fire. "You seem on edge lately. More than usual, that is." The blond jonin said that last part with a slight chuckle.

Shin looked over as his son failed to respond to this. There was a faint shift in position, somehow conveying that the younger was considering something. Perhaps sensing that any interruption would lead to Aoi shutting him out, the father waited patiently for a response, the subtle sounds of the night washing over them.

"Enburu," Aoi said the word suddenly, without warning. "Not only them though, it's the akatsuki as well. Recently, the akatsuki haven't made many major movements, but it can't be denied that the threat still looms. Enburu, they state that they are fighting against the akatsuki, but with no major movements, there is a certain suspicion the Hokage and I share."

"I see what you mean. The Hokage shared some information on Enburu, mostly the existence of the group, with the rest of the five great nations. The Mizukage has yet to make a statement on how we should view them." A brief pause lingered a moment before Shin continued. "Their existence doesn't explain why you would be on edge, however."

Shin waited patiently as Aoi gathered the courage to speak again. He knew his son struggled with this, because even though Shin was his father he was nonetheless sharing information with a shinobi from another village. If anything had been drilled into him over his training with Ibiki, it was that information was valuable.

"They have been asking that I join them."

"What?" Forgetting that there were three sleeping children for a moment, Shin let the exclamation slip through his lips before he could catch it. He shot a glance over at the children, but it didn't seem like they had stirred. "What do you mean enburu has asked you to join them?"

"It was when I was escorting Kou to the chunin exams, they approached me and asked me to join them." Aoi shook his head. "I refused, since I have grown to like life in Konoha. They didn't seem happy, but left me alone until after the exams. It seems that every time I have left the village since then has had them trying to get me to join, though recently they have become more aggressive."

It didn't seem like Aoi would go on, but Shin wanted to know what Aoi meant, so he prodded. "How have they become more aggressive?"

Aoi gestured, quite accurately, at the three sleeping figures. "They threatened the kids on the last mission outside the village. On the night of my birthday they shot a kunai at me, inside the village of all places." A heavy breath that could almost pass as a sigh left Aoi. "That's the only reason Tsunade agreed to send my team to these exams. They need to get stronger to protect themselves, if only long enough to escape."

A shuffle of feet alerted Aoi to the fact that Shin had stood and was making his way over to his son. A hand settled on his shoulder in a comforting manner. "You care for the kids, I can understand that, but you don't have to deal with this alone. Thank you for telling me."

"No." The word threw Shin off for a moment before Aoi went on. "I should have told you sooner. You have been trying to get closer to me, but I keep pushing you away."

A grin split Shin's face. "Finally realized that did you? I suppose nobody likes their father at first, so let's call this your rebellious stage." A faint upward turn of Aoi's lips gave way to what he was feeling. "Now give your dad a hug."

Shin extended his arms with the intention of wrapping them around the boy, but was stopped when a hand grasped his face. The blond would have protested, but seeing the look on his son's face he grew silent, glancing between the fingers that were a little to tight from tension. Aoi's eyes looked around, changing distance and direction in a constant, methodical sweep. He strained his ears, hoping he could hear what had alerted him in the first place.

The sensation of eyes left gradually, but it took Aoi a few more minutes before he let his guard down slightly, releasing his father's face in the process.

_+_

The following afternoon, Aoi stopped at a fork in the road, calling for lunch earlier than he usually did. Team 13 didn't question it, instead gratefully sinking under a gnarled tree and pulling out some travel rations that were easy to eat during the midday meal. Shin, however, saw what Aoi had done. This was the fork in the road where they would go their separate ways, Shin to his home and Aoi to the chunin exams with his team.

The two jonin settled under a different tree, slightly away from the kids, but close enough that if danger struck the blue haired boy could help. Shin settled into another impressive monologue of sorts while Aoi sat beside him, vaguely listening to what his father said. Gradually, Shin settled from his attempt at conversation and sat idle by his son.

"Be careful traveling back." It was said so coldly that Shin had to pause before a smile crept to his face at the words. Though Aoi wasn't always the best at showing it, those four words could be taken as him caring.

"I feel I should be saying that to you instead. The chunin exams are hard, though I've never had a team under me to enter. Try to give them as much support as you can."

"Right."

Quite a few minutes passed in comfortable silence, excepting the chatter of the three children. Aoi's glance at the sun told Shin that the younger wanted to start traveling once more, but a few more minutes passed before anything was said.

"Thank you for coming to Konoha, dad." The final word held a sense of unfamiliarity with the word, but if Shin noticed he didn't comment.

Instead, a smile plastered itself on Shin's face. "It's my favorite son's birthday, how could I not come?"

"But," Aoi paused a moment, "I'm your only son?" There was slight, yet obvious, confusion in his voice.

"Makes it hard to not be the favorite, doesn't it?" A small smile made its way onto Aoi's face at this, and the slight exhale could be taken as a faint laugh.

Aoi stood up after that, and Shin followed suit. Noticing that they had stood, the three genin started to pack up their belongings, getting ready to head off once more. Shin stuck out his hand, a rather formal way to say goodbye for the man.

Taking the hand in his own, Aoi was pulled forward into a half hug, and though his body tensed, he noticeable didn't throw Shin off. Hesitantly, he placed his arm on his father's back, tentatively returning the show of affection. Shin released his son and slung his pack across his back.

"Well then, good luck at the chunin exams! I expect to find out there are three more chunin in Konoha when I visit again." There was a pause as Shin chuckled. "Feels weird to hope that a rival village gets stronger."

With that, he took a right at the fork in the road, and Aoi led Team 13 down the left.

_+_

As they had been walking, it was notable that the plains had given way to hills, and now mountains were on either side of the team as they made their way through the valley. A fog hung low naturally as the sun had yet to chase it off. There was no clear indication as to why Aoi had stopped when he did, but all three of his students followed suit.

Jinhai inhaled to ask, but before a word escaped his lips the reason for Aoi's pause appeared. A woman with red hair appeared before them, her yellow-gold eyes filled with a mistrustful stare. Next to her was a blond, a sword on his back and the stick of a sucker sticking out of his mouth. His gaze too, held a level of distrust in it.

Holding his hands to the side to show there were no weapons in them, Aoi simply stated, "We are here for the chunin exams." The guarded stance the two held was relaxed only slightly, and the cloud ninja made their way toward the group.

"Let's see your papers then." Aoi noted that she didn't move her hand away from where her weapons were, a smart move considering all that was happening in the world. Keeping on hand visible, Aoi reached into the pouch at his waist and produced four sheets of paper, holding them out.

The redhead took them, sifting through them and checking the seals and signatures. "Aoi, correct?" The konoha jonin nodded his head. "Welcome to Kumogakura, try anything and you'll lose your head."

"Why wouldn't he try something, we aren't on good terms with Konoha after all." The blond, who had been silent until now, spoke. "Invited into the village, even if we are on guard it's the perfect time to-"

He was cut off by the woman. "Shut up! We don't need that pessimism right now!" Turning back to the group of Konoha shinobi, she spoke to them, her voice still heated with the anger at the blond. "Let's get going, we'll show you to your hotel."

Saying so, she turned toward the apparent shear rock cliff that soared to one side. A door, previously hidden by genjutsu, appeared, and she opened it. With her leading and the blond taking up the rear, the group made their way up a winding staircase, and before too long their eyes widened as they stepped up onto a balcony.

Stretching between mountain peaks were wooden walkways, sturdy, yet easily destroyed in the event of an attack. There was a dizzying height below them, but after the initial shock, they found their heads and continued to follow the head of red hair.

After passing several buildings the bridges and balconies grew more populated, and after ten or fifteen minutes they arrived at a door with the universal sign of an inn, a bed, hung above them. They were lead to a room, told once more not to cause trouble, and left to themselves.

The next week, the chunin exams would begin.

_+_

Hey all, sorry it took a while to update, but I got distracted by school. I have had a test every week since the beginning of the year, and needless to say it has been a pain. It seems I have a more consistent schedule though, so it should calm down. That being said, the next chapter I'm working on isn't for this book, but Revelation of Worlds, my original book. My plan is basically to pinball back and forth between the stories, so it might be a month or two before I update this.

Random Answer: It's because I like pain.

RQ: What was the question that was asked above? Give me your worst.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Vote/comment/etc. because it makes me happy.

-Nicky~