The Lone Princess (A Naruto Fanfiction)

Chapter 1: Escape

    I looked outside the window beside my bed. There were so many people, and I couldn't help but feel like I was in Kurisutaru again. I smiled at the thought, but it vanished as soon as I thought about the state it was in. Plus, Kurisutaru isn't the same anymore. Last I saw, it was in ruins with flames licking every corner of kingdom.

    "Oh, you're awake," I heard someone mutter. I snapped my head towards the voice. It was a masked man with gravity-defying silver hair. The headband he wore covered his left eye. There was this weird swirly shape thing on the headband that kinda made me curious. He held a small open book in his hand, as he stared at me with the look of boredom in his eyes. He then continued to read as if it was the most normal thing to do when you enter a stranger's hospital room.

    "Who are you?" I said under my breath. "Sorry kid, didn't hear you," he stated plainly. "Who are you?" I repeated a little more louder this time, but with a shaky voice. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?" he countered, looking up at me. I put an unfazed face on, although on the inside, I was a deer in headlights. Who is this guy? No, more importantly, where am I? "You're the one who decided to come to this village," he continued when I didn't say anything.

    "W-Where am I?" I stuttered, fully aware that he has every right to be weary of me. "...You're in Konoha," he answered in hesitation. "Konoha?" I repeated. "Yeah...The Village Hidden in the Leaves," he answered slowly, as if expecting me to already know this. I lifted an eyebrow in confusion, "...huh?" Oh, wait! Of Course! Konoha! I mentally face palmed at my stupidity.

    After all that's happened, you can't expect me for temporarily forgetting the place Kuro and Midori set for my destination. The masked man sighed and started walking towards me. I couldn't trust anyone so easily after all I've been through (and especially someone who's  wearing a mask. I mean, it makes them so suspicious!), so as soon as he passed my two meter limit that I set for myself, I opened the window and jumped out, trusting myself to not break my legs when I land.

    "Hey wait! That's dangerous!" I heard him shout, but I safely landed on the ground. He sighed out of relief, and it looked like he was gonna follow me, so I ran away. "Wait!" was all I heard before speeding up. I stopped when I felt my bandaged leg stinging, reminding me of the injury there.

    Hold up. I'm on unknown territory. Where am I even running to? I looked back to check if the guy still managed to follow me. He wasn't, and it seemed like I got away from that crowded area too. I'm always running from someone. I sighed at the sad truth and looked around the area.

    It was very calm here, and the only thing I could hear was my huffing and the gentle wind. I looked up to see four huge faces carved on rock. Cool. I wonder if those are important people in this village. "Yes, those are the carved faces of all the people who led the village so far."

    I gasped and flinched at the voice, not knowing someone was here with me. Oops! Did I say that out loud? I turned to look at a strangely dressed old man behind me. "O-Oh, I see. That's nice!!" I said trying to hide my my slight fear in my fake smile. The old man just smiled at me as if he knew who I was. What a friendly person...

    I looked at the third carved image in thought. Strange. It looks like the old man over here... I gaped in realization and hesitantly asked, "Are you...?" Knowing what I was implying, he answered with a warm smile, "Yes, that's me. I'm the Third Hokage." "Hokage...?" I asked in confusion, not knowing what it meant.

    "The leader of this village," he gruffly replied, helping me understand. My mouth almost hung open in surprise. Not even an hour in and my princess ass already found itself a leader of a village. Fear built up in me and flashed through my eyes. And he saw my pathetic fear alright. I gulped and took a step back cautiously as the old man smiled at me.