"Ok Naruto, that tag means your ours; mine and my brothers' Kankuro and Gaara." They were walking back into town, down alleys and back to the market, Naruto tried to keep up but the second he got to her side she slammed her hand onto the wall and he bounced off her arm. "Always be a step behind me, got it?" Naruto nodded quickly, still wide eyed at what was going on. This woman could very easily kill him, he didn't feel like provoking her. They started moving again, him a step behind and to her side, "Your position will be closer to us personally than the other servants, so..." She shrugged, " Congratulations"

"Uh... Thanks..." Naruto said quietly, she looked back at him again and he perked up, "Uh! Thank you, Tema-ah Lady Temari." She was at least a foot shorter than him and still scared him shitless ever since the fan wind thing. Not that she couldn't just glare at him and he'd die of fright. She held a presence. Not mean or anything, just terrifying.

"Loosen up, but still, manners are inportant in public. My sector demands respect, hence the reputation. Don't ruin it, working with us directly meand being punished directly as well." She said, glaring out the corner of her eye. Naruto nodded fervently.

They approached what looked like a fan boat for swamps but it was parked on a dock that had a shoreline of sand instead. Naruto quietly wondered to himself if jumping into the situation would kill him faster than asking too many questions from someone of such high status and short temper. They boarded the glider, temariin the front, ankles crossed and eyes trained forward. Naruto sat behind her and behind them the fan started. A man dressed in wrappings of fabric and goggles took the controls in front of the fan. Naruto let out a deep "URK" as he held on for his life, the boat speeding off the dock far faster than any car could have started. Temari glanced at him and smirked, barely having moved. He managed a look at the vast desert in front of them. It would be a long trip.

Feet padded along the gleaming hardwood floor at a steady but quick and productive pace. The hall was narrow and lined with beige walls, like most of the huge Ryukan; Sabaku no Mizu. Dim light panned in from the ceiling, but not too bright. It was just enough for Sasuke to make his way from his previous position in one of the kitchens to help hand crank the biggest oven back into order, to the front servant's entrance without fault but it was fundamentally known already that of all people, Sasuke did not trip. From having to rip broken gears three times his size and a hundred times his weight from their place earlier, he was smudged largely on the face with black grease; looking none too pleased with it. The young man had sharp red eyes contrasting the pigment of both his spiking hair and the result of his hard work. Somehow there was minimal damage to his white no sleeve shirt, its collar nearly hiding his face, but not much. He also wore shorts hitting just below the knee as part of the standard uniform for workers in the Ryukan. Shirts just varied in color and depending on your job, some extras; for example, Sasuke was one of a few managers and was likely to do some dirty or extra work, so adorning his hands and feet were gloves without fingers/toes or heels on his feet.

Sabaku no Mizu Ryukan was one of the largest Onsen and lodgings. The building was as big as a city itself but there were also deep blue, towering water mountains a few miles away the building encircling the grand area. The hot and cool contrast made the mountains looked eerie and calm, blanketed in clouds of mist that spread around the Ryukan. They were far enough away from the building itself to let the sun shine through the middle and make the structure look as though it was floating on the clouds in the sky. It was visible from miles in every direction.

The grandure of the building reflected it's creater greatly. Gaara, a sand spirit, suffered throughout his life and used to shed blood for sport. He had recently changed his mentality; no small thanks to his business partner. To get exactly where he was and finally content with his what he had made in this world, Gaara wanted to help those strugling to traverse the desert he felt he had been lost in for several years and in different ways. He had changed drastically when he happened across a benign water spirit who found him drenched in an innocent's blood and still did not find him to be the monster he believed he was. She partnered with him against her families wishes and helped him create the beautiful oasis to bring peace in a harsh enviroment.

Sasuke never questioned the honor of his boss; technically owner. Gaara and his siblings, a wind and air spirit named Temari and Kankuro, respectively, were commited to not further the suffering of others. It was admirable but a small justice to the young man, having been orphined at a young age and the only other survivor of his family had dissapeared, his brother.

He shook off his musings as the servants' entrance came into view. He slid open a door to his left, exited to a small garden with a rock path leading to the front of the building and waited. Sasuke was told by someone on a higher floor that they had seen Lady Temari on her way home with their new servant. This one was to replace another who had attempted, foolishly, to kill Lord Gaara. It wasn't a fair fight and instead of killing the man he meerly cast him into the desert and let nature decide his fate. The man was far more merciful that Sasuke, it made him torn between respect and questioning his judgment.

The sound of the smooth rocks being misplaced made Sasuke correct his posture and wonder who his Lady had picked. The man they needed to replace had a lot on his shoulders, perhaps the reason he stupidly challenged a man far more powerful than himself.

Temari turnned the corner with a sly smile, "Well congratulations Sasuke, you've been promoted," His eyebrows shot up, he was taking the moron's place, "and, learning from experience," She pulled a man from around the corner, he looked to be about Sasuke's age but, unlike him, wore a black tag on his forehead and strange clothing, "I got you an assistant."

Sasuke looked him over. The tag contrasted against his golden blond hair and bright blue eyes that were wide with fear, confusion, and wonder. He was wearing odd clothing, "What is he?" Sasuke asked, narrowing his eyes; which Naruto had trouble looking away from, it was as though he had never seen someone with red eyes. He was gaping like an idiot.

"He's a human." She said with great confidence, "Right, Naruto?"

He jumped at his name, "Uh, yeah..." now trying to look at anything but Sasuke, "right..." He said quietly, with a sad twinge to his voice. His shoes were suddenly very interesting to examine.

Sasuke felt a little sorry for him moment, he knew how humans got here, not many did or bothered to find out but he knew. Naruto had been spirited away, stolen into this realm. All ties, friends, family and familarity cut down with a single mistake; trusting the wrong shrine with his sleeping spirit.

"Impressive" He replied to his employer in a far less than impressed tone.

"Alright!" Temari exclaimed, making Naruto jump again, "Have fun, and get back to work." She finished in a sing-song voice as she turnned the corner and left Naruto with his new "boss". Once she dissapeared, Naruto looked at Sasuke carefully and noticed he was just a bit taller than him. His raven black hair shone in the sun and his fair complexion stood out, even without being spotlessly clean. Naruto would have thought to himself how hot the other man was if it hadn't already occured to him that this person could probably kill him easily as well. Red eyes or not, Sasuke was definitely fit enough to make Naruto think he could be snapped like a twig. Something impressive to notice through his uniform.

After survaying eachother a second longer, Sasuke's expression fell deadpan and vaguely serious, "Come on."