During the way, Naruto had been eyeing on Shadow like a hawk and she was quite getting annoyed by it. She first waited for him to get tired but through the hours of nonstop walking, he didn't cease. Kakashi, however, rescued her by saying to Naruto "You know you shouldn't stare at people like a hawk, Naruto, Especially to someone who saved your life."

Naruto finally tore his gaze from Shadow to his mentor "Come on, Kakashi sensei! I'm sure you're just as curious as I am!"

Sakura got an anime vein popping on her head then started to scowl at Naruto for being a nosy brat. "Naruto, leave her alone! She saved our lives and this is your repayment!" She whacked him hard from behind the head. Shadow just stared at the two kids as they argued, although Sakura was scolding Naruto like a mother. Even though he doesn't deserve THAT much.

Kakashi decided to end their argument by saying over his shoulder to them "Hey, knock it off you two. Is this how you behave around our guest?"

They both finally stopped and looked at the ground shamefully as they apologized to Shadow "Sorry."

Sasuke had been keeping an eye on Shadow since he first met her. He didn't say a single word since also. Whenever Sakura tries to talk or flirt with him, he would just ignore her entirely while looking at Shadow like a hawk as well. Shadow knew that he had been eyeing on her since the beginning and then decided to end it now. She asked him while looking at him under her hood "Is there something you need?"

The group stopped and they turned all of their attention to their dark headed comrade. He just stared at her to no end with a small glare. Sakura looked between Shadow and Sasuke worriedly. Kakashi just sighed heavily and asked his Uchiha pupil "What's the matter, Sasuke?"

He continued to glare at her and she returned the gesture. Finally, he asked "Who are you, really?"

Shadow arched a brow at him "Is that it? You just wanted to know my name?"

"…What's the problem with that? We've been travelling for hours and not once you told us your name, for the matter, asked who we are."

"I already know what your names are, kid. You're Sasuke," she nodded to Sakura "she's Sakura," she turned to Naruto "he's Naruto," and finally, their mentor "and he's Kakashi Hatake, the Copy-Cat Ninja, I presume." She nodded to him in some respect "Your reputation precedes you."

Kakashi nodded "And – forgive me if I'm mistaken – but I believe that you're that infamous Shadow Assassin that is well known through the five Nations?"

She bowed her head "The one and only."

Kakashi crossed his arms with a small smirk behind his mask "I knew it. I only heard very little of you. I only know your name, but I never heard of what your appearance was."

"I…wanted my reputation to be…discreet. It works best for me to work in the shadows. Since that's where I got my name from."

Kakashi chuckled deeply and said "No doubt about it."

The kids glanced between their mentor and the assassin. Naruto grinned from ear to ear with an evil look in his eyes all over a sudden. Then he whispered to his comrades "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Sakura was going to say something with a grin on her face, but she stopped when she heard both adults clearing their throats. The kids turned their attention back to the adults to see them staring at them intensely.

Kakashi said to them sternly "Just because we were talking, doesn't mean that we still can't hear what you're saying. Especially you, Naruto."

Naruto slightly blushed and just looked away. Shadow looked up to the sky to see the sun is going to set soon. She looked back to Kakashi so she could ask him "How far are we now?"

Kakashi looked up ahead on the road, narrowed his eye as he put a hand over his eyes to get a better look. Then he turned to the group "We're almost there."

Naruto whooped happily then ran past Kakashi and Shadow, leaving a big trail of dust behind while screaming "Ramen, here I come!"

"Naruto!" cried out Sakura in annoyance, even though it was pointless. She dropped her head low as she sighed heavily in defeat and mumbled under her breath "What an idiot…"

Kakashi said to his remaining pupil "You guys go right ahead. You earn your rest." Sakura sighed heavily in relief and Sasuke just walked ahead without saying a single word.

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts and quickly squealed "Sa-Sasuke, wait for me!" And ran after him to walk him to the Leaf Village

Once the kids were out of an earshot she asked Kakashi "Does she have a…grudge against Naruto?"

Kakashi glanced at Sakura from the corner of his eye, and then returned to Shadow. "She…just doesn't like Naruto for the moment. She finds him annoying because of his rant and stupidity." He smiled softly as he remembered those times when they became his Genin "But he has potential. I'm sure he'll grow into a splendid Leaf shinobi."

Shadow observed him for a moment and glanced back at the two Genin who were getting smaller as they walked further away from them. She asked him while slightly tilting her head to the side while eyeing on the two Genin "And what about Sasuke? Is she in love with him or something? She had been flirting with him nonstop."

Kakashi sighed heavily "Actually, yes. She has this…insane love for Sasuke. He already has a big fan girl club of him. Sometimes, I would feel sorry for the guy."

Shadow smirked behind her mask "And why is that?" Kakashi looked at her for a bit and nodded ahead as a gesture to keep walking.

As they walked, Kakashi answered her question "I wouldn't want to walk on the streets while fan girls are trailing my every track. Determining to kiss me and such." He shuddered when he remembered something from his childhood "Argh and I did have a fan girl club when I was his age. I barricade myself in my house during those…dark times." He shuddered once more from the memory.

Shadow smiled softly behind her mask. It had been a while since she smiled. She found Kakashi's company quite comfortable and it's quite rare for that to happen, since she doesn't usually feel entirely comfortable for one's presence when she barely knew them. She asked "I wonder how you drove them mad to have a club of you. They must have worshiped you."

Kakashi chuckled deeply as he shoved his hands in his pockets, copying her gesture "Sometimes, I would wonder that as well. I think it was the mask. It quite charms the ladies. They find me mysterious and most of them love it." He said with such pride.

Shadow rolled her eyes to the Heavens but a smile was still on her face, hidden by her black mask of hers. "And once they see your face, what then?"

"It just drove them even more insane. Sometimes, they would try to kiss me in public with my mask down. It was like a betrayal to me." He was now being dramatic but it was entertaining.

"So…your girlfriend kept trying to show everyone your face?"

Kakashi looked at her and answered "Not anymore. We broke up about four weeks ago. Sure, I she looked cute and innocent at first, but after a while it was…" he shuddered in fear "…argh, I don't want to go through that again." This time, he asked her "Now, enough about me. What about you? I hope I wasn't talking too much…"

"It's all right. I didn't think you were talking too much. I actually find you…entertaining."

"Entertaining?"

"Yes."

"Hmm…in a good or bad way?"

"In a good way, of course. If you were bad, I wouldn't have bothered to talk to you by now."

"…ouch. That's a bit harsh, don't you think?"

"Nope"

Kakashi chuckled deeply then said "Seriously. Tell me about yourself."

"Um…I…don't tell people much about me but my name. It's…difficult to talk about."

Kakashi could hear some slight sorrow in her voice as she spoke. He said to her quickly to make her feel comfortable "You don't have to tell me, I understand." He decided to bright the mood up by saying "But hey, at least I can tell you about the embarrassing moments of my childhood."

She let out a small laugh and softly smiled at Kakashi. He nearly tripped over when he saw her beautiful golden eyes, looking deeply into his single onyx one. Now, he could understand why Sakura froze up when she looked at her in the eye "Thank you for the thought, but it's not really necessary. But still, thank you. That was kind of you."

Shadow suddenly stopped when she realized that she was at the large gates of the Leaf Village. Kakashi stopped as well and was quite surprised of how time flies by so quickly by just talking with her. They were immediately greeted by the two guards. "Hey Kakashi. We were wondering how long it would take you to get here" said a man with spiky black hair, sharp eyes, and a white bandage over his nose with a small beard on his chin.

Another man appeared by his side, this man got brown hair that was covering his right eye with onyx eyes, or in his case, eye. He asked Kakashi "And who is this woman?"

She stayed silent so Kakashi introduced them "Kotetsu, Izumo, this is Shadow. She just came here to get some supplies."

Both guards glanced at each other and Kotetsu said "She can pass but she first has to see the 3rd Hokage."

"Yeah, yeah, I know that already."

Before Kakashi and Shadow walk into the village, they both said to Kakashi "See ya later!"

Kakashi waved goodbye to them as well then turned his attention back on the road ahead. Shadow looked around the village as the sky was turning orange by the sun set in the horizon. She could see the faces of the Hokage on the mountain; kids playing ninja with cardboard shurikens and plastic katanas; couples walking together in arm to arm; and villagers were dong their own business. Overall, this seemed to be the most peaceful village she had seen so far. "Shadow?" she heard her name being called by Kakashi so she turned her attention to him.

"Hmm?"

"How long are you intending to stay?"

"I don't know. I just came here to get some supplies and to see Anko again."

"Then…where will you go?"

"…Onward."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, keep moving and try to find answers. That's all."

"…Is there a way we could help you with that?"

"…Perhaps."