Chapter 11: I Don't Like Being Kidnapped

They had found her.

It was sprinkling lightly and the faint reflection of the waning moon's light gave off a gleam to the edges of their kunai's.

"Over here!" A hoarse voice shouted close behind.

The sound of dogs barking didn't help to ease Kintsugi's concentration as she ran through the trees sensing for any underground openings she could use. Though their barking seemed to amplify her surroundings, it didn't help to know that they were closing in on her.

She hadn't slept for the past two days and she had hoped that some physical exertion would have helped, although this was not what she had in mind.

"Now!" The rapid whooshing of a blade passing by her ear made her pump her legs all the more, each step digging into the dirt for more traction, and each minor slip making her painfully aware she could get caught.

She turned her hand slightly hearing the oncoming spray of what she knew wasn't just water, bending it away before a single drop managed to land on her.

For the past ten minutes, the Inuzuka clan had engaged in a rather energetic chase. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't kill any of them, not with a business deal on the line. They weren't necessarily trying to kill her, but she knew they wouldn't hesitate to hurt her.

She was a liability to them, a stranger. She was someone who had entered the village without anyone knowing, someone the Interrogation Force wanted to "talk" with, so desperately it seemed, on several occasions and yet managed to go undetected, but above all, someone who was damaging the Hyuga and Inuzuka clan's reputation.

"If any of you let her get away again, I'll get rid of your meat for every week you don't catch her!"

"Oh please, my schedule is already full," she scoffed.

The ground was becoming wetter and she was more than overjoyed when she managed to find a dry enough hole for her to tunnel down into.

She could hear heavy paws attempting to dig the earth she kept bending to compact.

Tunneling away and collapsing the dirt behind her, she managed to head back to the old birch tree.

The smell of old meat and dry sweat lingered on her body, the stench making even her gag as she wiped the dirt off her face. It was troublesome.

She knew she couldn't stay for long. She needed to get rid of the smell, but the ache from her muscles after having spent the whole day earth bending as she tried to literally hide underneath everyone's noses had worn her out.

I can't rest, can I?

Her head seemed to spin as she stood up, her body now acting on its own as she dug further down to the unfinished underground spring she'd recently been creating. She could rest there.

Just hold out a bit longer, she thought.

It had been two days since she had sensed Kakashi nearby. Having last seen him at the old woman's home. She hadn't been looking for anyone's sympathy and she certainly wasn't looking to give off the impression that she was giving out charity, not after she was looking to make money off the villager's minerals.

But at the moment, he was at the bottom of her list.

Slowly entering the water, she let herself be carried up as she lifted her hands and feet, closing her eyes as she floated upon the water's surface to finally sleep.


"Oh, you're still alive."

"Don't sound so disappointed, I might think you don't like me. You could have at least said, 'Oh, hey, how's you're day going!'" She grunted.

Kakashi's eyes crinkled in a slight smile as he walked next to a rather muddied looking Kintsugi knowing full well how her day had gone.

"How's you're day going," he repeated blandly, his hands placed in his pant pockets.

Kintsugi sighed, and if she had her mask off, he would have probably seen her roll her eyes.

"It's not the same if I have to tell you, but I guess it went well since I didn't die."

"Those are your standards?"

"What other standards are there?"

"I've actually been looking for you," he said changing the topic as he placed his hands behind his head.

"You're not the only one. I've already had to deal with several kidnapping attempts and it's getting kind of old."

He'd heard the rumors, the Huygaa and Inuzuka had been looking for her, but not just the older Shinobi, they had even managed to get their kids and dogs to participate in the hunt.

For Kintsugi, it was a headache she wished to be spared of and it was one she hoped would go away once she got Kakashi's surety.

"But, I'll admit, the Huyga are less confrontational about this than the Inuzuka. And... this would be a lot easier if you decided to be of use to me."

"I guess that's true."

"Did you just...agree with me?"

"Not re-"

"Nope! You said it! No take-backs!"

Kakashi gazed at her as she laughed beneath her mask before he continued to speak.

"I'll help you."

She had mud in her ears and dirt in her hair after another unfortunate encounter that morning, but for a moment she thought she had heard him say he would help her.

"I'll help you," he repeated after she seemed unresponsive.

She stopped walking as she stared straight ahead, not daring to look him in the eyes.

"Do you trust me?" She whispered.

"No."

"Smart man."

"But you'll have to follow my lead when we meet with the elders."

"That's boring," she sighed as she turned to look at him and continued to walk.

"There will have to be an order to things, and you must promise to follow my orders while you're here... if I'm to become your surety. That's my deal."

It seemed so simple to say yes, but she knew that anything could change, he could change, like so many people she knew and had known. But following whatever order he gave, wouldn't be too much trouble if he remained the man she had observed these past few months.

She didn't trust him either, but maybe, just maybe she could place a bit of faith in him.

"And what role does justice play in your order? I'll need payment for all the trouble the clans have caused me," she said as she gripped a strand of dirty, clumped hair to show him.

"We'll talk about that later. For now, you should go clean yourself up. I have a meeting to put together."

They stopped in front of a stand, the delicious smell of cooking pork mixed with spices as the smoke was spread by the stallkeepers fan, gave way to a growl from Kintsugi's stomach filling the momentary pause in their conversation.

"...now that I've made it weird, I'm going to make my exit."

She didn't look back.

She didn't look back because she was smiling.


A/N: Yes, I'll admit that this chapter could have been better. As for this story, I plan to continue this story to the end, however, expect the varying length of chapters and even greater varying length of updates. And if I somehow make consistent updates...:')