The late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the dusty streets of the small village, its golden rays glinting off weathered rooftops and flickering through hanging lanterns. A soft breeze carried the scent of sizzling skewers and fresh bread, and somewhere nearby, a merchant's bell jingled with each passing customer.

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke strolled casually past rows of worn wooden stalls, the usual bickering mercifully absent for once. Kakashi-sensei had ordered them to take a walk—“Get a feel for the place,” he said, probably off reading Make-Out Tactics behind a chimney somewhere.

Sakura paused near a stall selling hairpins shaped like blooming chrysanthemums. Her hand instinctively brushed the small purse at her waist, but the jingle of coins she expected never came. She looked down—and froze.

“What the—?” she turned in time to see a small figure disappearing into the crowd, a flash of black cloak trailing behind them.

“Hey!” she shouted, half in warning, half in frustration.

Naruto’s head snapped around just in time to catch a glimpse of the cloaked figure. “Don’t worry, Sakura-chan! I’ll get it back!” he yelled, already bolting after the thief with reckless speed.

“Wait—Naruto! Stop!” Sakura called, but he was gone, leaping over crates and darting around startled villagers.

The figure was fast, weaving between legs and darting down an alley like they knew the village inside-out. But Naruto was faster. With a determined growl, he launched forward, tackling the cloaked figure into a patch of dry grass behind a stack of crates.

“Gotcha!” he huffed triumphantly, sitting up and yanking the hood back—

Only to freeze.

Underneath the cloak was a child. Wide eyes, no older than eight, stared back at him in stunned silence.

Naruto blinked, his breath catching as the weight of what he’d just done settled over him.

“…Crap,” Naruto muttered, suddenly feeling a thousand times worse. He looked down at the little coin purse in his hand—Sakura’s—and then back at the kid.

His hand loosened around the purse.