Rido and Naruto sat at the ramen counter, Naruto choking down his noodles quickly and Rido watching quietly. She wasn't really hungry; she couldn't eat when she was this nervous. The Uzumaki was right there. Right in front of her. The answer to her deepest hearts desires. Right there….
"Um, Naruto?" Rido asked.
"Humph?" He responded not look from his bowl.
"Uh, I was just wondering, um, about…your training. How's it going?"
Naruto looked up. She actually wanted to know about how strong he was! "Well! I'm getting really good. My sensei's seeing real progress in me! Real improvement. Really! Soon I'll be better than good, I'll be the best! And when that happens I'll show this whole village what I can do! I'll show them my true power!"
True power? Rido could barely hide her anticipation. "True power? You mean the power of the nine-tailed fox?"
Naurto's smile faded. How did she know about the nine-tailed fox? And better yet, why did she seem so excited to know? Naruto became suspicious again. The Akasuki came to his mind. And Itachi.
"Why?" Naruto asked slowly.
Oh no! Rido thought. Does he suspect something? Was I too forward? Well of course he does!! He's not an idiot!! She looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry Uzumaki-sama. I apologize for being rude. You don't have to tell me."
Naruto was relieved. He didn't feel like being pressured into telling personal stuff, especially when it was valuable information and to a person he barely knew. "Good. Okay." Naruto resumed inhaling his food.
Rido sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. But she had to try. What else could she do? Rido politely waited for Naruto to swallow the rest of his food before suggesting that it was getting late.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Naruto admitted.
"I…I guess I'll see you later?"
Naruto hesitated. He wasn't exactly sure about 'seeing her later' but he did enjoy her company. Even if she did turn out to be a crazy stalker. At least he'd have something to brag about to Sasuke.
"Sure."
Rido nodded happily and turned away. Then Naruto remembered something.
"Wait!"
Rido stopped and turned back, surprised. "What."
"I didn't get your name."
"Mutsuhito. Mutsuhito Rido."
Naruto scratched his head uncomfortably. He didn't like being formal—except when people were being formal to him. "Would you mind if I just called you Rido?"
Wow. This is unexpected. But what the heck. Rido nodded. "Sure.
The next morning Rido awoke to something tickling her face. She rubbed it idly and the tried to go back to sleep. But that was before she realized that the tickling was coming from a tarantula the size of her face.
"Whoa!! Okay, okay. Don't scream. Don't freak out. Just gently…okay gently now…carefully…" Rido was really trying hard to be calm. If she screamed the village shinobi might be alarmed. She carefully maneuvered the spider of her face and then away from her. Her fear of spiders, especially the large and hairy ones, was difficult to control. But she managed.
"That's what you get for sleeping in trees." She scolded herself.
"True. Maybe now you'll learn." An unknown voice chimed in from below.
Rido poked her head out from the branches to see a dark haired boy with a small dog below.
"What are you doing here?" She asked. Though it was clear by the symbol he sported that he was a ninja from this village.
"Training." He replied with a shrug. "I should be asking you that same question, foreigner."
The dog on his shoulder barked and then growled.
Rido was frightened. She didn't mean to cause trouble for the village, but apparently she had. And this ninja did not look friendly. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. I'll leave if I have to."
Rido started to climb down the tree.
"Stay where you are!" The ninja called angrily.
Rido froze.
The young ninja ran, so fast her eyes almost missed it, up the tree in front of hers and then, with a blurring quick swipe jumped in front of her and drew a kunai to her throat.
Not again with this! What is with these people? Once again Rido raised both hands in surrender.
"Don't move." The ninja growled. "What is your name, foreigner?"
Rido swallowed hard and spoke, "Mutsuhito Rido of the Hidden Soul Village."
"Hidden Soul? Bah! There's no such village!"
Rido started to shake her head but then remembered the blade pressed up against her jugular. "Yes. We don't associate with other villages. We are very secretive."
"Where's your headband?"
Rido rolled her eyes, sighing in her mind for not wearing it. She didn't want to risk any tension by representing another village in theirs. How stupid was that idea. "I don't wear it."
"Why? Aren't you a shinobi?"
"Yes."
The ninja growled then turned to his dog who was sitting obediently by his side. "Akamaru. Go and alert the nearest jounin. We have a spy on our hands.
Damn it!!! Rido slipped out from under the blade and scrambled down the tree.
"Hey wait!!!"
But Rido was already to far gone to comply.
"Damn." Kiba muttered. "Akamaru, tell the jounin we have a situation."
And with that Kiba leapt in pursuit of the fleeing ninja