It had been several weeks since Miya had parted ways with Yota and Masa. She had yet to travel to the Leaf Village like she had planned. One excuse or another Miya found to remain at the town Otafuku Gai. Part of her hoped that her companions would change their minds and return for her. As each day passed with no sign of her friends Miya felt her heart sink just a little, but Miya's resolve would not let her dwell on it. Instead Miya occupied herself by taking on jobs as a nin for hire. Most were small jobs, but they paid her expenses and kept her skills honed. Her current mission Miya found herself trailing an odd white haired man in his mid fifties. Her employers claimed that he was Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sanin, but by the looks of him and his habits Miya couldn't figure the rumors to be credible. She had spent the last two days trailing him from one house of ill-repute to the next. It was becoming quite bothersome and Miya itched for action. She was never good at intel missions, and she could imagine Masa's characteristic slap upside her head for her rashness for rushing into a situation. Miya swore if she had to endure another advance from one of the buxom harlots she was going to wipe the floor with the white-haired pervert's face.

"Hey, preety lil' thing, you need another drink?" asked a scantly clad waitress that had sidled up to Miya's table. Miya simple glowered at her target making silent promises of torture and death. "No," she said with gritted teeth. He was sitting a few tables down amid several of the girls who worked the establishment. He was laughing loudly and drinking copious amounts of sake. Miya couldn't help but find it hard to believe this creepo was anywhere in the league of Orochimaru.

Finally, just when Miya was about to start breaking random objects over Jiraiya's head he stood and staggered out of the bar with two of the girls on each arm. She waited a beat before throwing a tip on the table and followed Jiraiya out the door. Left on the chair were her kunai.

As she weaved through the busy streets maintaining a visual on her target Miya began to wonder if the money was worth this brand of torture. It would be so much easier to pound his head into the ground, right? Maybe she could tell her employers that she fought him to get a measure of his ninja skills. She grinned widely at her clever little excuse. At that moment she noticed Jiraiya had stopped. Realizing she had moved in too close Miya darted into the shadows to watch the ridiculous scene playing out in front of her. The drunken pervert was being yelled at by a blond haired boy approximately her own age. He was standing in front of Jiraiya arms folded and legs spread like he could act as a wall to keep Jiraiya from moving forward. The girl's had a look of disappointment as they watched their meal ticket slip through their fingers. Miya could hear the old pervert laugh uncomfortably as he scratched his head in obvious embarrassment. Miya wished she could get close enough to hear what was being said, but she couldn't risk being seen. The kid was a new variable that she had not expected.

Miya watched as the old man and boy moved outside the town borders into the wilderness beyond. It did not slip her attention that Jiraiya no longer seemed intoxicated. Interesting she thought as she followed them. Maybe now she was getting somewhere.

"See, Masa... I can be patient, "she whispered to herself.