Reborn as Sakura and Hinata: Lost in the Wind (Part 2)

Masks

"Lord Hokage, if I may, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about."

Lifting my head from its lowered position, I spared a look at my secretary, her gray eyes nothing if not assured, yet I couldn't quite keep back a sigh that was perhaps a bit too dramatic. Running my hand through my hair, I then propped my face against it, "You sound so sure."

"What reason is there to worry?" Noriko posed, tone neutral, "She's going to the Cloud, somewhere she has visited several times before. We are in a time of peace, and just about every village adores her. The Cloud and the Raikage might adore her the most, and she's accompanied by very talented shinobi." She tilted her head slightly, "Do you not trust your team? I thought Choji and Shikamaru were excellent choices, and they even have Karui to escort them, a Cloud native."

I raised my hand, "Do you have to make me seem so stupid?" my tone was bordering on humorous, "Of course I trust them, I suppose I can't help but be a bit... irrational right now."

"New relationship." She noted quietly.

Nodding my head, I lowered it again for a moment, "It is truly irrational. She has done so many more outlandish, hell, stupid things, and now when everything should go perfectly I can't help but worry."

"Things change, perspectives change." She mused, followed by a surprisingly indifferent shrug, "There's always room for worry, though."

"No kidding." I grumbled under my breath.

I raised my eyes again at the sound of paper, a document extended in front of me, "If it helps, I did just receive a letter from the Raikage. He says he's sending out an escort team of his own to meet them and ensure she arrives safely."

I took the paper, a wave of relief washing over me, "How can a man be so terrifying yet so kind?"

Noriko cracked a smile, "I ask that question to myself a lot when I hang out with Naruto's crowd."

I only needed a moment to consider it myself before I also smiled, "Fair enough." Folding my hands over the paper, I properly looked up at her, "Thank you, honestly, I was far too deep in my own head."

"In your profession I see it as an inevitability," She chuckled lightly, "I'm happy to help."

I was about to ask about the other documents in her arms when I noticed my Bird masked guard walk towards the office doors, "Lord Hokage, I think someone's-"

The door abruptly flew open, smacking the poor man in the face and onto the ground as Naruto leapt through, practically burning with panic, "The baby's gone!" Blanking for a moment, Noriko and I stared at him wide eyed, and he swallowed, taking a moment before repeating himself, "Th-the baby- uh, Alonso- he's missing!"

His words finally sunk in, and I bolted up from my seat, my guards stepping forward as I felt my just so recently calmed heart begin to race.

Shit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What was happening to him right now?

Attempting to lift his face from the shoulder of... whoever was carrying him, Alonso couldn't quite find that out, all he could see were trees and green flying past as the man holding him raced further from where he was in the garden.

He didn't like this man; his hold on him was firm, he didn't feel like he'd be dropped, but there was nothing secure about his hold, nothing warm or comforting. It wasn't safe. It made him all the angrier as the hand holding his back attempted to push his face back into his shoulder. He hated how the material felt on his skin, scratchy, itchy even, nothing like smooth fabric of jackets or the plushness of shirts or dresses. It smelled bad too, these men smelled bad, dirty and foreign and scary, they smelled scary, there was something wrong with them, and he didn't want to go with them.