Shinobi Isekai!

Observations

Sai followed behind his new little teammate with a smile plastered across his face. It was a little strange to be walking through the village like a normal person. His face felt naked without his mask and the gazes that landed on him stung his flesh through his clothing like senbon. His expression gave none of his discomfort away, though. His training was much too thorough for such a novice mistake. Even the smile he wore was a façade meant to turn away prying eyes.

Not that he needed to. Most people turned their attention to the young girl in front of him, whispering among themselves as if losing a limb rendered her blind and deaf. The Hokage's daughter didn't react to their gossiping, her face safely hidden behind her mask and her pitch black eyes focused on her destination. Or, they were, until she turned them to look at him.

"Senpai," she said in a low voice. "Is this really necessary?"

He smiled even wider at her, trying to put her at ease like his books said smiles were supposed to. "I'm afraid so. The Hokage himself has ordered that you are not to be left alone."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her mask. When she opened them, there was something different about her expression that strengthened her resemblance to her father. Odd, considering they shared no blood. He might need to buy more books.

"I understand." She turned her dark eyes away from him. "I'll have to ask you to please keep your thoughts to yourself, though. I'll happily answer any questions you have after we leave, but I need to focus on Gaara while we're in there."

He nodded silently and they continued on to the hotel turned glorified prison which housed Suna's royal children. Sai identified several shinobi hidden in plainclothes in the streets below the building as well as uniformed ninja standing guard. There were many Anbu about, as well. If not for his current assignment, he might be among them.

The assignment in question led the way into the hotel lobby and up the stairs. It was obvious which room they were there for, as two shinobi stood on either side. They turned to look at the approaching chunin and nodded to the Hokage's daughter. She bowed to them, an unnecessary sign of deference. Sai was beginning to understand something about her. Where most shinobi in Konoha dispensed with formality entirely, she never failed to use the appropriate title or honorific when speaking with someone, even those she called friends. He wasn't sure what it meant, but he was sure someone better versed in social interaction than he would find the information invaluable.

The hotel room provided to the Sand Siblings was, naturally, the best available. It was less a hotel room and more a small apartment with several bedrooms, a living area, and a fully stocked kitchen. When he and his teammate stepped inside, there was no one waiting to greet them, but it didn't take long for a voice to call out to them.

"What is it this time? Gonna measure our shi—."

A boy Sai's age stepped into the living area, his face painted in vibrant purple paint. Sai almost opened his mouth to ask how he achieved that color, but held his tongue when he remembered his teammate's request.

"Damn, shorty," the late Kazekage's middle child said with a smirk and a slouch. "Sure took you long enough to pay us a visit."

Sai watched with avid interest as the girl by his side transformed. Her stiff body relaxed, mirroring the painted boy's posture. "Mah, Kankuro-san," she drawled, once again invoking the Hokage's image. "I was kind of dead."

The painted boy winced and Sai made a note of it.

"Right. Sorry, I..."

The girl sighed. "Don't worry about it. It's my mistake. Is Gaara here?"