a city of crossroads that never lead home would be about a verse where Shikako arrives just in time for the Grass exams and native Shikako died somewhat recently. Maybe Danzou sent a different ROOT agent on the Land of Birds mission – or sent a partner with Sai – and they killed her to ensure the Watari nin wouldn’t settle in land of birds, or to keep her from further subverting Sai. Sai… might also be dead. :C
Shikako would be caught at the Grass exams, maybe by Kakashi. Maybe by Gaara. Maybe both. She’d be asked to stay, but she knows this isn’t home, and she hasn’t figured out that she needs to Split yet.
but….. hey… ALSO for this song…
a voice that was echoing mine would be about Shikako landing somewhere where native Shikako gave a second sealing lecture series and she listens to the recording and read’s native Shikako’s notes and people keep telling her things native Shikako told them.
a shadow who’d stolen my face would be about a verse where native Shikako managed to replace with Sasuke in the Forest of Death and got bitten by the cursed seal. She fucks up big time, gets taken by the Sound 4, and Orochimaru is now going around wearing her body. The verse would probably open with Shikako being mistaken for Orochimaru.