𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭. | 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚄𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚑𝚊 ✓

「 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔! 」

- ☆ -

Shinki? The Kazekage's son...this is bad.
"Why are you out here?" He questioned.
"I am travelling," I replied.
"It's pretty late to be travelling at this time." Does he not recognise me?
"I was about to set camp..."
"I see...but..." He took a step closer to me, "I cannot let you out of my sight as you're in the Land of Wind." I just wanted some alone time...what have I gotten myself into?
"Okay...whatever puts you at ease, Shinki."

I lit the fire as he kept looking at me.
"Need something?" I glanced at him.
"I'm good," He sat across me, "Where all are you travelling?"
"Ya know, all the Lands...always wanted to travel the world since I was a kid." I lied.
"I see, well, there have been a lot of sightings of enemies...you better be on guard." Yup, that would be me.
"Oh, I'll be careful. Who are these enemies you're talking about?" I took a sip of water.
"The Kara. They're on top of the wanted list. I'm sure you've heard of them at least once."
"...yes I have." One of the members is definitely not sitting five feet away from you.
"You look familiar..." He narrowed his eyes at me. Ya no shit, Do you also remember when I almost killed your dad? ah...good times.
"Oh, I just have a 'familiar' typeface." I chuckled, "What are you doing out here? This place is pretty far away from the Sand Village." He raised an eyebrow.
"What makes you think I'm from there?"
"The way you dress and the face paint...It's pretty obvious."
"Hm..."
"Well?" I looked at him waiting for an answer.
"I have a...mission you could say." Suspicious... "You should sleep. I'll keep guard." He threw a stick in the fire.
"Ah...about that." I looked down, "I'm not really sleepy. You can if you want."
"You're still suspicious, you know?" I hummed in response.
"I guess neither of us are sleeping tonight."

- ☆ -

I freshened up in the nearby stream and walked back to where Shinki was waiting.
"Ready?"
"You don't have to escort me, ya know?" I said as I put on my coat.
"I will and there is no changing my mind," He replied as he adjusted his ninja pouch, "Anyway I want to get away from them." He whispered.
"Hm?"
"Nothing." But I heard it as clear as day. Get away from who, Shinki?

We've been walking for five hours now, I'm trying to figure out a way to get him off my back. So troublesome.
"We'll stop here to eat," Shinki said as he stopped abruptly. I followed him into the shop and sat down at the table.
"What do you want to eat?" He asked.
"I'll have what you have," I replied as I looked around the restaurant. This place is awfully quiet.
"I'll order the onigiri..." He sighed.
We sat in silence waiting for the food to come.
"Tell me something about yourself, Shinki."
"There's nothing you need to know." He bluntly replied.
"That's not the point...I'm not just going to let a random stranger escort me to wherever." He sighed again.
"I'm a Sand Shinobi."
"So you think I'm a threat."
"Where are you from?" He asked as he avoided my statement.
"Leaf." He looked up at me with an eyebrow raised.
"Leaf has been in lockdown for around two years now." Wait, what? Why is the Leaf on lockdown?
"Oh, I didn't realise. I haven't gone back as no one's waiting for me at home."
"..."
"S-"
"Here's your food." The waiter put two plates on our table. We thanked them before taking a bite.

- ☆ -

"We'll reach in a couple of hours." He said. I took another bite of my food.
"Ah, ok." I then looked towards the door and saw two people enter. They were wearing capes identical to Shinki's as I glanced back at him.
"Have you seen..." I heard a part of their conversation with the waiter. The waiter then glanced at us as I felt Shinki grab my hand.
"What-"
"Found him!" They shouted.
"Run." He pulled me across the room and out of the shop as we ran wherever he pulled me to. I sensed them following us as Shinki ran faster.
"Wait-" Why are we running away from them?'
"I'll tell you later, I have a plan and I want you to buy me some time."
"Wait, what-" He left my hand and ran the other way. What have I gotten myself into?
I looked back and saw the ninja's catching up. Nothing too flashy. I made hand signs for the jutsu as a huge fireball came out of my mouth. One of them countered it with a water jutsu as they clashed and formed mist. I could obliterate them in a second but explain that would be too much of a problem.
A kunai cut my cheek as it whizzed past me. Okay, that's it- My thoughts were cut off when I saw a huge hand made out of iron smack the two ninjas. They flew and hit a tree two hundred meters away.

"Thanks." I heard a voice say behind me.
"You killed them?" I asked slightly surprised.
"Ya. So?"
"I'm okay with you killing them but aren't you breaking the rule? Technically betraying the sand." He sighed in response.
"Those were fake Sand headbands...anyway, let me explain it to you."
"I would like that."
"I'm the Kazekage's son." I totally didn't know that.
"Oh..."
"I ran away from the village because there was a...threat let's say," Let's say? That's not very reassuring.
"What was the threat?"
"They plan to destroy the village."
"How do you know the threat is real?"
"They know really sensitive information. I'm not allowed to tell anyone otherwise they threatened to destroy the village. It was better for me to leave."
"What are you planning to do?" I asked.
"Find the one behind this and eliminate the threat. I'll explain it to the Sand after I'm done."
"On your own?"
"Ya of course. Who else would help me?" I can't believe I'm about to do this. I sighed.
"I'll help." Shinki looked at me in shock.
"Why would you help me? You won't get anything out of it."
"I don't mind a little adventure. The Sand needs their future Kazekage right? and...honestly, Shikadai is smart but he would be too lazy for the job." That got a chuckle out of Shinki, "You actually smiled." I said as a smile cracked on my face too.
"Shut up." He turned around.
"Do you know anything about them?"
"There's a leader and a lot of men working under him. Usually, they come in a group of five but for some reason not today."
"Anything else?"
"The leader's female. I've been trying to find her for months now. I found traces of her where you're heading so I was killing two birds with one stone. I just didn't want you to find out."
"So we're heading for the Land of Patties?"
"Yes, we are. I do have a question...are you a skilled shinobi?" I smirked as I walked past him.
"That... you'll see."

- ☆ -

??? Pov.

"Those two died too?" I crossed my legs and sighed in disappointment.
"Yes, ma'am. What should we do?"
"Activate the plan," I replied in annoyance. His eyes widened.
"The plan?! Are you sure-"
"Yes, I am," I cut him off, "Destroying the village would definitely catch his eye, don't you think?"
"I'll get it ready." I motioned him to leave the room. I got up and walked towards the crystal ball in the centre of the room. I traced my finger on it and the image of Shink and...a girl I had never seen. I frowned. Who is this? They were deep in conversation talking about something. These Damn crystal balls. I can't hear anything.
"Whatever they are planning...they will never find me."

- ☆ -