A dark dungeon, stuffy and full of accumulated hot air. Prisoners thirsting for water, almost fainting. Guards who would rather drink themselves to death than help us. We're just the common people anyway. Who wants to condescend to us. What good are we to the country? No Kekkei Genkai, no parents, no money, no possessions. Nothing that could be interesting. Oh, how wrong they were. At first glance, we might seem inconspicuous, sick and weak. How they underestimated us.
Lots of nimble hands that could pluck wallets from belts, quick feet to run away, strategic thinking and a few helpers to escape. At least here they could still rely on each other and knew what it really meant to stick together. In situations where it was a matter of bare survival. Especially in an area like this. In the middle of the desert. The strong won over the weak. At least that's what they thought.
Since our country had been increasingly abandoned by the other, larger empires, the Kazekage had raised taxes on the common people in order to invest more in the education of all genin, chunin and jonin. But what was the point if those who already didn't have enough lost everything? Taxes should be levied on the rich, but not on those who had almost nothing. These people always had to suffer the most.
Water was the most expensive thing here in the desert. And they charged so much for it that we had to steal to get hold of the precious liquid. No one knew the alleyways of the city better than we did, knew every trapdoor, every hiding place, every cave. We often had to move our hiding places when the guards came looking for us again, but we didn't care. The village was big enough and no matter how many times they caught us, or especially me, we would escape again. And there was nothing they could do about it.
A grin stole across my face. Triumphant. Those fools. Even if it was only for a short time that they left me alone. They would never learn. Never discover everything about me. They couldn't. Not even my allies knew everything. Because I couldn't trust anyone. Anyone could become a traitor. Even though I relied on teamwork, some secrets were too valuable to pass on. That would ensure my survival.
Yes, Kaito, I will make you proud.
Carefully, my fingers went to the sandals, to the soles, and removed one of the grooves. No one had noticed anything. How stupid of them.
I deftly inserted the skewer into the keyhole and felt it begin to adapt to the room. The almost familiar click of the prison door sounded like music to my ears. No, they would never be able to stop me. No matter how many times they locked me up. Beat me up or anything else. I had no friends, so I wasn't vulnerable. So what could they threaten me with?
Nothing. They had taken my teacher away from me. I had nothing left that could be of any value. And I would never have it again. To ensure my survival and that of many street children in Sunagakure. I was driven by my own conviction, my will, which no one could break.
Of course I had dreams. Who doesn't? World peace. A good and healthy life for everyone here in Sunagakure. No poverty. A Kazekagen who cares for his people. Every one of them. Just like they said about the third Hokage in Konoha. But by now I no longer believed all the talk. They were just rumors. You shouldn't trust them. Even though many people were now saying that the new Kazekage, Gaara, wanted to change a lot of things for the Jinjuuriki. The only thing that had changed a little was his character.
Even he couldn't see everything that was going on in the village. Too much intrigue, especially in his city guard. Half of it was kept quiet, not even mentioned. After all, nobody wanted to risk their well-paid job. And for what? For a few street kids who only had you to thank for their lives afterwards. Money ruled the world, that's how it was and how it would always be.
Not even the majority were based on intangible values such as loyalty, friendship or love. I couldn't afford anything like that in my situation at the moment. It would only put other people or myself in danger. To protect everyone here, it was better for me to be on my own. Sometimes I helped other street kids to steal, taught them so they could survive. Or helped them steal, giving them my whole hand instead of just my little finger.
With a triumphant grin, I stepped outside, pulled my hood over my head and put the scarf over my mouth, nose and right eye. It was dark out here. Only the full moon provided light in the starry sky. My bare feet hit the cold ground quietly, not bothered by the cold of the night, as I had grown up here and was used to the fluctuating temperatures.
It would take me a while to get to my hiding place. Many alleyways, corridors and hidden paths separated me from it. And also the great tower of the Kazekage, whose forecourt I had to cross, because that was the shortest way.
My bare toes buried themselves in the sandy, stony ground. Damn it, I hadn't been paying attention, I'd started walking carelessly, too dazed by the thought of being home soon. Quiet voices approached me and I abruptly turned back, darting into the shadows of a nearby house.
Three shinobi were approaching the Kazekage's tower. Two jonin and the Kazekage's brother, Kankuro. None of them showed the slightest sign of fatigue. But something was different. The girl at the other jonin's side moved atypically for a kunoichi. More deliberate, more cautious. The way she placed her feet on the ground was unusual, almost resembling the gait of a cat.
First the toes and not the heel. Her view of her surroundings was also different. So attentive, interested, alert and ... worried? I shifted my weight a little, causing the sand to crunch softly under my feet. Abruptly, her eyes darted around, lingered on me, but then flitted on. Silver eyes... A memory flashed through me. Blurred movements, a figure I didn't recognize and then that pair of eyes. Silver, penetrating, dangerous.
The dark-haired jonin turned to her and scrutinized her closely with his pale eyes. I faltered when I recognized them. A Hyuuga. The two jonin had to be from Konoha. I retreated very slightly, reappearing at another spot, this time a little further away, just to be on the safe side.
"Are you all right, Tora?"
Tora. Tiger. The name fit her like a glove. The girl lifted her head, seemed absent for a moment and shook it a little, but then looked the other straight in the eye, holding eye contact with an incredible determination.
"I just thought I saw something. But it was just a stray cat."
She didn't think she HAD seen me. Clearly and distinctly. But why was she lying to her companion. What was the point? She could expose me here and now, make sure I was sent to prison again. But nothing of the sort had happened.
The Hyuuga boy was finally the one who averted his eyes and turned to Kankuro, who had observed the exchange of glances with a calm expression. A small smile even tugged at the corner of his mouth, which was a real rarity, his focus on Tora, whose silver eyes were now back on the tower in front of them.
She yawned.
"Let's go inside, otherwise we'll end up having to carry you to bed and we don't want you to oversleep tomorrow," the Kazekage's brother grinned wryly.
Her eyes immediately narrowed to slits, but she didn't seem seriously angry.
"If you're referring to the situation at the chunin exams almost four years ago, I was still a genin then, you idiot. Has a bit of time passed, don't you think?"
Was she allowed to treat him like that? Everyone in the village respected the puppeteer because of his high position as bodyguard at the Kazekagen's side. Apparently, the two had known each other for a long time, and were possibly even friends. However, that would make her one of the few lucky ones to have such a bond with the high family. Amazing.
"You're right"
He admitted it too?
"Even if I sometimes wish I was back there."
His gaze slid to her again. He looked at her slightly absently. It seemed as if he was mentally floating in the past. It was strange to see him like this, full of emotion. Most of the time he seemed stern and aloof. A few years ago, he had been completely different.
I laughed inwardly.
"But that's in the past, we're almost grown up now. Things change," the brown-haired girl replied and sighed softly.
"A lot, but not everything," was the quiet reply.
I almost had to lean forward a little to hear him, but thanks to my trained ears, I understood the words reasonably well. But now I had seen enough. Slowly but surely, I withdrew. Then I would just have to find another way. But what I had just heard and learned was extremely interesting. Let's see what I could do with this information. Certainly a lot.