Shikaruto walked through the sparring grounds, passing by each group of shinobi which were still sparring. There was such a variety of people, he examined them all from afar as he walked by. After he made his way by several groups of sparring Kumogakure shinobi, Shikaruto found himself at the exit of the sparring grounds. Just as he did, a horrible realisation crossed his mind. Oh no! I don’t know where the Village Gates are! Not wanting to lose face, Shikaruto followed the path Shikari had brought him down, desperately searching for the main street which he was sure would lead the way to the village gates. He tried to remain as composed as possible, but he didn’t think it was working, as those who passed him kept throwing confused glances his way, but that may just have been because of his Konoha headband.

Shikaruto followed the winding streets of Kumogakure no Sato, racking his brains trying to remember which path Shikari had brought him down. He had been too busy focusing on Shikari himself, he had totally forgotten to pay attention to where they were going. Out of luck, Shikaruto heard the bustle of the village market and made his way over to the noise. Finally, he broke out on to the main street and sighed with relief. Looking up and down the street, he saw the gates to the north. Running down the street, dipping past and out the way of oncoming civilians, Shikaruto made his way to the gates of the village. As he reached them, he was out of breath. “You okay there?” one of the Chuunin village guards asked Shikaruto, to which he merely nodded in response, walking through the gates and out onto the mountain Kumogakure no Sato sat atop of. As he made his way out onto the mountain, Shikaruto followed the path as he began his long descent.

The mountain that Kumogakure sat on top of was one of the tallest mountains throughout all of the Land of the Lightning, so the walk down took Shikaruto a long time. By the time he reached the bottom, his legs were tired and aching. Shikaruto followed the path and made his way to the boat which was docked in the harbour, waiting for his return. Boarding, he searched the boat for Matsunaka-san, who was nowhere to be found. “Where’s-” Shikaruto began, but he was cut off by the captain. “He’s got his own boat coming for him, you just go into the deck and get some rest, son. You look tired.” Shikaruto didn’t really take well at being told what to do, but the captain seemed busy prepared the boat to take off again to argue. Realising just how tired he was, Shikaruto made his way to the beds and collapsed down onto one.

The bed wasn’t the most comfortable in the world, but Shikaruto couldn’t ask for much more. Suddenly, his bones felt heavy, and he could feel the anchor of sleep weighing him down and pulling him into its deep, dark embrace.

Shikaruto awoke to a startle, as the boat crashed against the shore of Hi no Kuni. We’re home, was Shikaruto’s first thought as he jumped up from the bed and ran to the deck. Breathing in the air of his homeland, Shikaruto jumped off of the boat and onto the harbour, shouting his thanks behind him as he used his shinobi speed to rush through the forests towards Konohagakure no Sato without so much as a backwards glance. Rushing past all the trees, it wasn’t long before Shikaruto found himself back at the gates of his home village. The chuunin guards welcoming him back from a few days before, and Shikaruto smiled his thanks in return.

I’m home. Shikaruto thought happily to himself, the thought resounding in his mind in a way he never thought it would.