Chapter 4: Walk This Way

It had been nearly four days since Jiraiya found, chased, and dragged me from the small village. True to his word as we made our way to the center of the country the air dried up and for once I didn't feel like I was breathing in water.

Most of the time I maintained my silence, much to Jiraiya's curious chagrin. His incessant questions of 'how did I know things?' and 'what was it like where I was from?' and my absolute favorite, 'what are your three sizes?'. My irritation was slowly growing to a boiling point, on top of the sheer frustration of not finding a single opening for me to get away. I only had ten more days and I would have one of those Yama-whatever you call them walking around my mind, and that was something I couldn't risk. Well, that or the alternative, torture.

Just the thought brought a shiver over my skin.

Fortunately for me we were nearing a village, which would be the best place to try and escape. The more I thought about this plan the more I got nervous. I mean I didn't even know the geography of this world, how the currency worked or any social norm; on the other hand if I stay with Jiraiya he will take me to be interrogated and then eventually integrated me into the main cast, and that just spelled trouble.

I really had no idea what to do, but I kept planning ahead, that's all I could do for now.

Once we got to the village I made sure to give it a thorough scope. It was bigger than the one I woke up in, but still small compared to promenade villages like the ninja villages. There were people hustling and bustling about, children laughing, venders yelling. That's when I saw it.

A mother laughing with her daughter as she walked past us, the little girl in her arms, sloppily knotting the loose hairs from her mother's bun. The mother rubbing her nose against the daughters. And there I was, at a standstill as the world seemed to slow down, watching them walk on. I didn't eve feel a large warm hand clasp my shoulder. I just watched them walk on until I couldn't see them anymore.

In a whirl I was face to face with the pervert.

"Eva-chan, you okay there?" he asked while the back of his hand went to my forehead. Regaining my senses I shook him off with a disdainful look.

"Let go of me you perv or I'll shout rape," was all I stated before I moved around him to continue our trek to the motel I saw him eyeing when we entered the village.

"How rude!" was all I heard as I made my way through the front door, knowing the old man would follow shortly after.

Making his way to the front counter he got us a room. The concierge at first giving us a mischievous look and hinting at a one bed love sweet, the perv even had the nerve to blush and rub the back of his head, until I literally kick his ass and he ordered us a simple two bed suite.

When we made it to the room I threw my bag on the nearest bed, grabbed some clothes and made my way to the bathroom, making sure I locked the door on the way in. Turning on the water for the bath I stood in front of the mirror, just looking. I looked very different here, but my biracial features remained, so did my jewelry, thank God. Looking down at my flower ring on my middle finger, I found myself caressing it.

Quickly shaking myself from my nostalgia I rinsed myself and hopped in the bath.

Jiraiya was working out a kink in his neck on his bed while he thought, wondering if dragging the little alien along was such a good idea. She really was a nuisance most of the time, with her crass language and constant belligerent attitude.

But every now and then, at night when she though he was asleep, he would catch her looking up at the stars in such a soft way, he would be reminded that the girl was only about seventeen. She would get this distant look, letting her brows furrow in a melancholy fashion.

He would second guess his decision to take her to the old man, he knew the torture and investigation unit in Konoha was brutal, and she was however far from her home, with no foreseeable way back.

Then he would remember that he was a shinobi, and shinobi did what they had to complete their missions and to keep their loved ones safe, and the information the alien had couldn't fall into the wrong hands, not that she should even have that information to begin with.

He only had a few loved ones left in this world he could try to protect.

Not to mention the strange chakra signature that flared every few miles. Someone or something was following them, and he really wanted to know why. If he had to take a guess he would suspect it had something to do with the ali-

With Eva

Getting changed (yes in the exact same thing I wore before, that must really be a thing in cartoons), I exited the bathroom only to walk face to face with my captor. His goofy smile spreading as he met my eyes.

"Were you listening to me bathe you damn creeper?" a snarl ripped through my clenched teeth. Putting his hands in a submission pose he backed away, clearing his throat, he straightened up and retrieved a small pouch from his bed and made his way to the door, looking over his shoulder he called out to me/

"Let's go get something to eat!" he jingled the bag, "can't live off of protein bars and trail mix forever"

Silently I followed him out of the motel, it was nearing dusk, and the bars began to light their little lanterns. People were already getting drunk, laughing at absolutely nothing.

Having the fucking time of their lives.

I tried my best to ignore Jiraiya's mumbling about doing more in-depth research later, aka getting laid.

After walking around for about ten minutes he decided on a bar that just so happened to have a slew of young ladies drinking at it.

"Walk in after me kid, don't want them thinking I'm with you"

Sauntering in like he owned the place I walked a few steps behind him, snatching the coin pouch he had strapped to his belt. Let's see the old bastard buy anyone a drink with no money!

Going up to the far side of the bar I ordered something random, seeing as I couldn't read the fucking language here. Yeah, that seal enabled me to speak the language not read it, guess I would have to learn that the hard way.

The bar tender brought back a few skewers of meat and a mug of what looked like beer. Giving him a confused looked he elaborated.

"Its girls night here, all the ladies get the first beer free," he chirped.

"But I'm not twenty-one"

"So?"

"What's the legal drinking age here?!"

"There really isn't one," putting more mugs on the counter he shelled out more mixed drinks and slid them down the bar somewhere near where Jiraiya went, "you came in with Jiraiya-sama, he regularly comes through this town, and anyone who becomes a shinobi is technically of legal drinking status,so I guess I just assumed you were one too, you actually look older than most of the clientele that come through here."

Shit, Really?!

Guess ninja didn't handle becoming child soldiers so great.

Not saying anything else I ate my meat and sipped my beer, it was actually pretty smooth. I normally wasn't a big drinker, not that it was ever hard getting someone to buy me liquor, but I honestly couldn't handle my mother if she found out, so I obtained.

When I was finished with my beer, I paid and got ready to leave, maybe make my escape!

That's when she walked in.

The mother from earlier that caught my attention.

But she looked different, the graceful smile she had was gone, and along with it the maternal air she held. Now she just looked like a common bar hopping whore, with her kimono pushed around her shoulders, and her hair disheveled.

She saddled up to the bar few seats from me.

"Hey! Jiro get me the usual!" she called out in a high raspy voice.

"I see your back Haruka, what brings you in?" inquired the bar tender as he made her drink, " I though you gave up your one night stand days."

"Don't get me started," she hissed as she chugged her drink, "that fucking brat is driving me up the wall, I thought if I had a kid with Shougiro it would make him stay! But no, now I'm saddled with the fucking brat that just won't shut up!"

I felt really cold all of a sudden

"Maa, I thought Komiko-chan was your light!" he sounded so playful.

"Ha! As if! I just have to look the part in public," she downed her second drink, "don't need old Mrs. Kageyama up my ass about mistreatment."

"So if you're here who is Komiko-chan with? Don't tell me you left a four year old by herself!"

"Your damn straight I did, locked the little ogre up in the bathroom and told her to shut her mouth," she finished her fourth drink, "don't give me that look! Shell be fine, she has before anyways!"

My palm slammed the surface of the bar, silencing the woman and bartender, and a few patrons that looked uncomfortable, probably heard everything the woman said, no doubt.

"Y-yes?" the bartender squeaked

"Get me two bottles of your strongest liquor," I whispered, "Now!"

The bartender nodded and scurried off to the back.

The Haruka lady put her payment on the table and stumbled out of the bar, mumbling nonsense under her breath.

"H-here you are miss," he handed them to me. Snatching them I told him to charge the bill to Jiraiya, damn bastard in the corner surrounded by doe eyed dumbasses, laughing his fucking dick off.

Opening the first bottle, I made my way out of the bar.

Not really caring where my feet were taking me

Jiraiya was having a hell of a time. The crowd of young women he acquired was a good one. In the background he heard the usual white noise of most bars. Angry business men, sloppy drunks, unhappy house wives.

He was truly enjoying himself, a good relief from the last couple of days.

Wait

Glancing up he began looking for the misfortune that had caused these last couple of rough days, but couldn't find her anywhere. Jumping up, he rushed to the other side of the bar, getting the young bartenders attention.

"Did you see what happened to the exotic young lady that was sitting here?"

"Yah, a fierce one she was, slammed her hand on the bar and demanded two bottles of our strongest liquor, walked out about ten minutes ago, Jiraiya-sama."

Shit. He turned to leave until the bartender called out again.

"She said to charge her expenses to you tab, is that correct? Jiraiya-sama?"

Containing his scream he gave a painful nod to the youngster before he set out to find the pest! It was going to be difficult, seeing as the brat didn't have a chakra signature!

He scowered the town for the damn brat, but couldn't find her. She wasn't in the motel of any establishments, and he knew someone like her wouldn't go home with a strange man.

Damn, the little bugger must have made her escape.

No, contrary to popular belief Jiraiya wasn't an idiot, he knew the little alien was planning some sort of escape since they started their little journey, but she was smart and didn't launch her plan hastily, like he expected her to.

She was actually quite patient.

The only place left was the forest

So that's where he went

After nearly an hour of searching he found her, but not like he expected to find her.

She wasn't running, like when they first met face to face, no, she was lying at the edge of a small pond, her feet floating in the water, and two empty bottles of some hardcore sake beside her head.

Her eyes rolled back to look at him, not assessing him a threat she resumed looking at the star filled sky.

"What do you want?" came a semi irritated response, much more lucid than he thought he would get.

"This is your great escape plan?" he huffed out walking closer to the drunk girl, "For getting me to give up my adoring crowd I expected something more….escape-like?"

A beat of silence passed

"I'm not going to escape or try to anymore," came the somber reply.

"Wha?"

"I'll go to Konoha with you without any more struggles."

"Why?"

"Because I figured out that I have nothing to really go back to," it was soft, almost inaudible, but he heard it. The sound of a heart finally breaking.

"Don't say that kid," Jiraiya eased himself towards her, "what about your fami-"

"YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT!" the shout was deafening

"Stop being a brat your parents are probably worried sick about your bratty ass!"

"I haven't seen my father since I was eight and my mother hasn't looked me in the eyes for the past two years," she whirled around, he expected tears, but all he got was burning realization and acceptance, " there is nothing to go back to, everyone is either broken or dead, there's nothing left for someone like me there."

"Someone like what?" turning away she stood up and walked further into the pond, the tips of her shorts teasing the surface of the water. Her face turned upwards, looking at the stars, like she always did.

"Unwanted, unloved, and a murderer," came the heart wrenching whisper.

Murderer?

"Enough of this, your just drunk, you'll be fine in the morning, back to your bratty old self," Jiraiya light heatedly dismissed, saving that little tid bit for later, " your mothers probably frantically looking for you as we speak."

"She barely cried for her little flower, let alone the second best weed," Jiraiya was certain that whisper was only meant for her, but he stored that information away too.

Finally he got her to come to him, once he got her out of the pond, he pick her up bridal style, grabbed her shoes, and launched himself to the peak of the nearest tree.

"Old man," he looked down, she was looking out over the landscape, he could see the sleep taking over, "how can parents hate the very thing they give life to?"

"I don't know kid, I don't know"

Somehow he couldn't help but think of a certain ratty orphanage in the corner of Konoha

He had his work cut out for him

Lurking in the shadow, a thought resounded.

Soon, yes soon, it would be time to pick the ripe fruits of their labor

Yes

Soon

A/N so here we have a more in-depth look at Eva and some of her back story, I didn't want to give everything away, her past will be sprinkled throughout, but this was a good starting point. Now we have a cooperating alien some things can go more smoothly. And the lurking figure gets closer and closer, who are they and what do they want? Stay tuned and I promise you will find out eventually. Next chapter is the last of the journey chapters, believe it! As usual please review and if wanted leave KIND critiques!

Love yall thanks for all the support!

Tsubaki out!