"Nii-san, what do you want?"
Miko nibbled on her rice balls, looking thoughtfully up at her older brother. Their parents were gone at another meeting and Sasuke had long since fell asleep. Itachi bit into his own rice ball with amusement, swallowing, then speaking.
"I would like Dango."
Miko choked then squealed in annoyance.
"No! What do you want?"
Itachi adopted a confused but interested look. Miko took a deep breath, putting down her rice ball.
"I want the Uchiha to be a part of Konoha. I want us to get along with no fighting. What do you want?"
Itachi looked at his little sister like he had never quite seen her before. Miko kept her game-face on, deciding pouting was a bit overboard."
"Well imouto, I want...peace."
She tilted her head.
"I want no fighting, no senseless death, or violence."
They sat in silence on the back porch for a bit.
"I want the same thing." Miko said suddenly. "What else do you want? A dream or yours? Like Sasuke wants to be captain of the Police Force."
Itachi laughed, taking pleasure from her curiosity.
"One day, I would like to be Hokage."
The sat and ate in silence for a bit.
"I think," Miko said "that is a very good dream. You will be the best Hokage ever."
He would.
Miko would make sure of it.
"-iko."
"Mo-"
"M-miko!"
She gasped, sitting up only to fall back down, coughing loudly. She hacked up water and blood, Hinata whimpering in the background. Her head was in Shika's lap, his hands rubbing her shaking shoulders.
"W-what?" She choked out.
"We went over the edge of a cliff. The river carried us really far."
It went without saying it hid their scent and trail too. Miko sat up, injured but alive.
"Did you guys see anybody?"
"N-no." Hinata said.
"You guys hurt?"
"No." They said.
"Here." Shika moved some berries in front of her face-one of the many species that was unique to this world. "It's safe, the Nara clan works on it with the deer. We picked a lot to eat. But we don't have any water."
As Miko ate the tangy berries, she knew their basic needs. She wasn't sure how far away they were but water was accessible. She could faintly hear the river from here. Miko had been in the process of learning the fireball jutsu. She couldn't produce one yet, but she could make a small flame. Enough to start a fire and boil water. If that failed She could always find flowing water.
To her left sat a bloodied kunai. Seeing her gaze Hinata answered her question.
"It was in your side."
Nice.
"Hinata, could you go get some water? Thanks." Hinata left and it was just her and Shikamaru. She was confused when she felt something drip on her face, until she realized Shikamaru was crying.
"I-I thought you were gonna die." He croaked.
"Shhhh...I'll get us out." She murmured.
"No. I'll get us out. You always do everything, and I need to pay you back for the shogi piece."
Miko smiled sadly and nodded, eyes closed. Flashes of making that with Akira passed in front of her mind. Eyes still closed, she reached up and felt for his face and placed it between her hands. She kissed him on the corner of his mouth.
Hinata came back with the water and she washed her wounds. Starting a small fire, she directed the smoke out to the river where it would dissipate and hopefully attract the right attention.
But at the end of the day, she was left with one conclusion.
They were lost.
In the middle of one of the biggest forests in the world.