I do not own Naruto. Speaking/Thoughts
Zale looked up coughing violently blinking the sand from his eyes. His straw hat had somehow washed up on his head shielding him, and for that he was grateful. All of the voices had subsided leaving him on his own, but there was a cheering nearby that wouldn't allow him to take a deep twelve hour nap. Deciding that lying there would be a waste of time Zale stood and followed the noise to what seemed to be a parade.
People stood around a road cheering and clapping at whatever was going through the crowd; Zale elbowed his way to the front to see a familiar sedan chair with two familiar people at the top of it. Satsuki and Kurumi sat on the chair their wings flapping lightly every now and then as if they were itching to take off into the air.
A few moments later both of them stood taking off into the air immediately making several beautiful flight patterns that made people cheer even Zale found himself clapping and cheering along with the crowd. His own wings were wrapped under the shirt he wore almost invisible unless you squinted. Kurumi's head turned right as she was going to synch up with Satsuki and they crashed together earning laughs from the crowd who thought it was a joke.
After a quick recovery they landed back on the sedan chair that was carried away leaving the crowd disappointed as they walked away. Zale wondered if they recognized him even in his dirty and withered state, but he had little time to contemplate. His existence was already being questioned by the people around him who had never seen him before in the small village that they inhabited.
He moved quickly finding an inn that agreed to let him stay for a few days in exchange for a few hours of work as well as a promise to fix their well a task that was too hard for the old couple. Zale sighed stretching his shoulder before opening the door to his room only to be ambushed by four slender arms grabbing and tearing at his clothes. "What happened to all of your muscles?" Kurumi asked seemingly disappointed.
"There wasn't a lot of room to train on that small boat." Zale said as he felt Satsuki's hands snake his belt out of its loops.
"You're supposed to look you best when greeting the people that you love." Kurumi said easily tossing him onto the bed in his frail state.
Later
"Aria and the others are on the other side of the continent; we're only here to boost morale as they put it as there was a big battle here a few weeks ago." Kurumi said watching Zale pack a bag with a grim look on his face. "The ride over was pleasant, no storms like Gomu predicted."
"Did you hit any storms Zale?" Satsuki asked picking another rice ball from the bento.
"Yeah, just one." Zale said not elaborating any further than that. "Where's Shiki?"
"Gaara was somewhere in town today, and they headed off." Satsuki said with a shrug of her shoulder. "Where are you heading after this?"
"Nowhere specific, but I'll be sure to check in with you two whenever I can." Zale said grabbing a picture of everyone, and putting it into his pack. "Do you know how well the rumors have been spreading?"
"There were a few false emperors so far, some of them were pretty convincing. One of them went so far as to use a jutsu that would actually give them a pair of wings, but the jutsu was only meant to last a few hours. It was actually a little fun to watch, the wings popped like a balloon. If they hadn't we might have been forced to give him the crown." Satsuki said. "Do you really have to go so soon?"
"Trust me, I don't like this any better than you do, but there'd be too much suspicion if the supposed Great Emperor would appear in the town you happened to be staying in." Zale said with a shake of his head. "Is there anything that you two need to tell me before I take off?"
"Just that we love you." Kurumi said giving him a kiss on the cheek bringing a smile to Zale's face.
"Alright then, I'll see you two later." Zale said jumping out the window of his room moving at not even half his normal speed in his tired and diminished state.
Just had to post something