Thanks to Shine's directions, it took Temari less than five minutes to find Shikamaru.

She told Shoto and Momo to stay hidden--and they didn't miss the contemptuous dismissal in her tone when she said it either.

They stayed between some trees.

But looking around one, Momo saw the boy in question, Shikamaru, standing on a tree branch, but that wasn't what arrested her attention.

To her utter horror, there was a creature standing in front of him. She looked like a demon: horns, dark skin, black markings like paint over it. She had a flute. But she also had red hair and arms and legs like a human...so Momo concluded it must be a ninja.

"Shoto," she said, slipping into informality, "do you see that?"

Shoto looked, and he blinked in wide-eyed horror also.

"What is that?" he said finally.

"It has to be the Ninja from Sound," Momo mumbled.

Camie was right, they thought.

Then Temari landed on the branch with a blast of wind and sent the demon woman hurtling into a different tree, where she?...it...? promptly disappeared from view.

Momo didn't like that, because now they didn't know where she was.

Temari seemed to be talking to the boy, Shikamaru, who didn't look that pleased to see her at first.

Shoto and Momo only heard a few things she said more loudly, like "Excuse me? Did I ask for your opinion?"

Then she spread out her fan and bit her thumb.

What happened next made no sense to either of them.

A weasel popped out of nowhere, then a huge gale of wind that would have probably outclassed Inasa Yoarshi spun over the whole area.

Shoto had just enough time to react by freezing a huge wall and then shell over both of them, while Momo covered her head, before they heard pretty much every tree in the area splintering and falling down. Some logs hit the ice, but they weren't heavy enough to crack it.

Then it was all quiet.

Up on the branches, Temari smiled cheerfully at Shikamaru. "Pretty good, eh?" she said.

Shikamaru managed a faint smile back, not sure whether to be scared or relieved...but, considering how tired he was, leaning towards relieved.

Temari then looked around and realized she might have just crushed her tag-alongs.

"Oh, crud," she said. "I wonder if I just flattened those fools too."

"Huh?" Shikamaru said.

"You're not going to believe this." Temari put her fan away. "But--well, nevermind, you'll see soon enough if they aren't dead."

She sprang out of the tree. Shikamaru followed her, puzzled.

Temari looked around and then saw the ice shell.

"What is that?" Shikamaru asked.

"Ice, duh," Temari said, just as if she hadn't also been puzzled the first time.

"I've never seen that much ice this low down," Shikamaru said. "A jutsu? Who would use ice as jutsu? It would melt too fast to make a good prison."

"I don't think that's their priority." Temari walked up to it and hit it with her fan. "Hey? Technicolor, are you alive in there? Come on, pansies, we haven't got all day to sit around."

Fire melted the shell, and Shoto and Momo appeared.

Shikamaru stared at them. They certainly looked quite different form any ninja, especially a Sand Ninja.

[Animehound Todomomo fan art]

"Were you trying to kill us?" Shoto said crossly at once. "Look at this place--you practically caused a hurricane."

"Oh, really?" Temari was flattered. "I thought it was more of a light gale myself. Guess I don't know my own strength...and what do you mean trying to kill you? I said to stay under cover, you moron. You two are pathetic. I've seen kids with more nerve than you."

Momo gave her a look. "I've seen kids who were more careful not to harm their allies than you," she said in what was for her a very reproachful tone. "And one of them was Bakugo."

Temari didn't know who that was, but she took it to be an unflattering comparison.

Still, Momo scolding surprised her; Momo hadn't had a cross word to say since she met her, and Temari had taken her to be a total wimp.

"Well, you did nothing to help," she said.

"You didn't give us the chance," Shoto shot back.

"The chance? You move fast or you die," Temari said.

"Hey," Shikamaru spoke up. "Who are these people? Why don't they have headbands on? I thought it was just you."

"It was supposed to be, Mr. Macho, but they decided to follow us." Temari put a hand on her hip. "Shoto Todoroki, Momo Yaoyorozu, this is Shikamaru Nara. Only Chunin, so, yeah, act like it."

"Why should we care?" Shoto frowned.

"I didn't think you would," Temari said casually. "But it's your funeral if you ignore the rankings of ninja."

"You know something?" Shoto had had it with her. "You're not a very nice person."

"Oh, really?" Temari said. "Wow, that cut deep.... Sticks and stones, rainbow boy."

"I'm not a rainbow, I have two colors," Shoto said.

"Sho--Todoroki--" Momo put a hand on his shoulder. "--nevermind her. She's like Dabi: She's just trying to make you mad."

"Don't ever compare me to that prick again," Temari said, clenching her fist.

Momo was nearing the end of her rope. "Excuse me, Temari-sama," she said stiffly, "but if you threaten me or Todoroki again, we're going to have to defend ourselves."

"Did you see what I just did?" Temari gestured around.

[Yeah, but we all know why Shoto doesn't like wind users, right?]

"Enough of this," Shikamaru said. "I don't care who you are or what your beef is--I have friends to find who might be dying."

"Oh...I'm sorry." Momo felt ashamed at once of stooping to quarrel with Temari. "Can we help?"

"Unless you're a medic, I doubt it," Shikamaru said.

"We do know some first aid," Shoto said.

Since that meant something different to a ninja, Shikamaru took that to be a good sign.

"Well, you can try, I guess," he said. "Can we trust them?" To Temari.

"So far they've not done anything particularly vile," was her vote of confidence.

"We've done nothing at all," Shoto said. "You attacked us."

"You showed up at our village without an invitation. You're lucky I didn't kill you."

"You couldn't kill us that easy," Shoto shot back.

"Enough!" Momo suddenly said loudly, and even Shoto was cowed when she did that.

"I'm sure we're all tired from running all day," Momo said. "But let's at least try to act like we're responsible heroes--uh, ninja.... Shikamaru has some friends who need us. I think our clear duty is to help them, since that is what we do...so, lead the way, Shikamaru-san."

Shikamaru blinked at her. "What village are you from? We can't just let you walk around here if you're--"

"They're not from any village," Temari said. "Nevermind it for now. We'll explain later, if we live that long. Any more enemies?"

"I hope not, but we haven't found Sasuke yet either," Shikamaru said. "I never liked him, really, but I like the Sound even less. All this trouble for him.... Choji might already be..." He paused. "Anyway, let's hope Naruto caught up."

"Naruto, huh?" Temari said. "I know he technically beat Gaara, but he's an idiot. Do you really think he can stop Sasuke Uchiha if he's determined to leave?"

"To be honest? No," Shikamaru said. "But he's the only one who might get through to him at all."

"Let's find Kankuro," Temari said. "He's farther back. We'll see if we can find.... Who's down already?"

"Neji also," Shikamaru said. "I think. I didn't see it."

"I thought you said Neji was the other strongest one along with Shikamaru," Shoto said to Temari.

She reddened. "I never said they were the strongest," she said.

"But you said--" Momo began. 

"No, I didn't," Temari cut her off. "Make yourself useful and find your precocious sensei and Gaara."

"We can't do that," Shoto said.

"Yes...that's Shine's gift," Momo said.

"What are you good for anyway?" Temari said to her. "I've never seen you do anything useful at all."

Momo pursed her lips. "I told you, I have a quirk--"

"Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it," Temari said. "Come on, Kankuro will be finished by now." She sped up.

"Is she always like that?" Shoto asked Shikamaru.

"Scary?" Shikamaru said. "Yes."

"No...mean," Shoto said.

"Oh, yeah," Shikamaru said. "How long have you known her?"

"Two days," Momo said.

"I can't imagine hanging around her for that long on purpose," Shikamaru said. [You have to love irony.]

"It wasn't our choice," Shoto said. "Are you fast?"

"Average," Shikamaru said.

"Follow us, then," Shoto said. He started skating again.

Shikamaru watched him do this with a puzzled look and then followed.

Then the two heroes saw the demon woman pinned under a tree trunk.... She might have been dead.

"Oh..." Momo said. "Is she...?"

"She's down," Shikamaru said.

"Dead?" Shoto said.

"Either dead or not getting up," Shikamaru said. "We don't want to be around either way. Leave her, the scouts will find out later."

"Hurry up," Temari called.

"We know they aren't heroes," Shoto said to Momo. "Clearly, she's never been trained to not use her power lethally."

"I don't know if I should feel bad about this, when that thing didn't even look human," Momo said. "But if it was...that's against everything we've ever been taught to do.... I don't like this world."

Shoto nodded sourly in agreement.

* * *

Dabi and Kankuro had nothing to say to each other, and it was a short run anyway.

Dabi didn't even have to be told to stay back, but he watched the fight when Kankuro popped in to intercept some weird, horned guy, who also had some kind of evil twin--actually they were both evil.

Reminded Dabi of Twice...but...way uglier. And even more crazy.

Dabi also didn't bat an eyelash when Kankuro brutally killed both guys. Except that he was surprised to see a teenager go that far without hesitation.... Sure, they were monsters, but he couldn't see a hero kid doing it. But it wasn't going to bother him the way it would Shoto or Momo.

"Well--" He stepped out of hiding. "--I gotta admit, Kabuki, those are the coolest puppets I've ever seen."

"Eh?" Kankuro said, approvingly. "I told you."

"Who the heck is this?" Kiba said.

"Some schmuck with a big mouth," Kankuro said.

"You shouldn't talk about yourself that way. It lowers your self esteem," Dabi said. "Want me to burn what's left of these guys for you? You know, to get rid of the evidence?"

"Actually, they'll want to examine them," Kankuro said. 

"I was kidding anyway. I don't do that anymore," Dabi said.

"Your fire's hot enough to be pretty lethal," Kankuro said, "and you don't use it?"

"It's complicated," Dabi said. "Shine made me promise not to kill anybody on this trip, and I'm supposed to be reformed and all. Sure, I don't really like it anymore...but one thing--I still think some people just won't be stopped any other way. But it's not a DJ thing; I guess it's too much power or something."

"I really didn't care that much," Kankuro said. "These mongrels were as good as dead anyway, working for that freak. Far as I'm concerned, they got what they deserved. Anyway, they say cursed jutsu kills you sooner or later."

"Yeah, curses do that," Dabi said. "So, you're the kid with the dog."

"Yeah...Kiba," Kiba said. "I can't really move right now, all out of chakra."

"I should catch up to Temari," Kankuro said.

"No need." Temari suddenly sprang out of the trees. "As usual, you are too slow, little brother."

"So, you're older, huh?" Dabi said. "Funny, you're shorter."

"I'm not shorter by much," Temari said.

The other three came into view.

"Dabi..." Shoto stopped and looked at the fallen shinobi.

Momo covered her mouth.

"Don't look." Dabi stepped in their view. "You two are too squeamish for this kind of thing...though, as heroes, you'd better get used to it."

"It's not that I've never seen people..." Shoto swallowed. "It's just I can't believe you killed them."

"And what, letting them live would have been such a good idea?" Kankuro said. "Are you morons? You know what they'd do to us then?"

"Forget it, Kankuro. They're both soft," Temari said. "I shouldn't be surprised that you, Dabi, are the only one who seems to have any battle experience."

"I've killed people before," Dabi said. "I'm not proud of it...but most of my old friends were killers also.... We're not as goody-two-shoes as the heroes are. Plus, I was out of my mind back then."

https://youtu.be/9QNpo7x-ht4

[This vine is every emo who gets redeemed in anime.]

"That was last year," Shoto said.

"Hey, he sounds like Gaara," Kankuro said.

Temari kicked him. "Don't make jokes like that," she snapped. Then she looked at them appraisingly. "Maybe your world isn't as different as I thought, then. Dabi, you see a problem with the way we're dealing with this?"

"Would you care if I did?" Dabi replied.

"No," Temari said.

"Then I have no comment," Dabi said.

"Dabi!" Shoto said. "I thought you were on our side now."

"Look, Snowflakes, I'm willing to allow killing people who aren't that bad is wrong," Dabi said, "I'll give you that. But in case you missed it, these nutjobs here are going through the woods, kidnapping one kid and trying to murder the crap out of these other ones, so it seems to me there's really only one way to handle this: Self Defense. And if you have a problem with that, then would you rather just let them kill the ones we're actually supposed to be helping? Seems to me these two Sand Pills just understood the assignment. We're not in the hero world anymore. This is the ninja world.... You'd better get used to it."

Shoto stared at him angrily.

Momo shuddered. "I don't want to be in a world where the answer is killing people," she said.

"What kind of dreamland do you live in, then?" Temari scoffed.

Shikamaru looked at Momo and Shoto, then he shrugged. "Ideally, it would be the way you want," he said. "But it's no use. The Sound Ninja are pretty much immovable. I'm just glad they're stopped at all."

"Did anyone else make it?" Kiba asked.

"We're trying to find out," Shikamaru said.

"You'll be happy to know, as far as we know, Rock Lee at least was still alive," Temari said.

"Rock Lee?" Shikamaru said. "He's not even supposed to be out of the hospital!"

"Huh," Temari said. "Well, then I guess you won't be happy to know it."

"Don't worry, Wolf Tail," Dabi said, "if Shine got there before he was finished off, he'll be fine. Why, we'll find her giving whoever was beating him up a piece of her mind, and they'll end by joining our side."

* * *

This was not, in fact, what happened.

When they caught up to Shine and Gaara, Gaara had finally beaten Kinimaru...sort of.

"Gaara won," Shine told them. "But the guy basically killed himself at the very end.... It was good that Gaara didn't go for the bloodshed, but it was sad.... He didn't want to talk to me."

"I guess I was wrong," Dabi said.

"Rock Lee, why are you here?" Shikamaru asked.

"I had to help!" he said, weakly.

"You're a moron," Kiba said.

"Who are you?" Shikamaru looked at Shine oddly.

"Shine Likstar," Shine said. "You must be Shikamaru. It's nice to meet you." She smiled and held out a hand.

He didn't take it. "Sure...and is this all of you?"

"This is it," Temari said. "She is the only one you might want to watch out for."

"Thanks, Temari," Shine said.

Temari didn't reply.

"Shine--" Momo grabbed her arms. "--we've...seen people.... They were dead...at least we think they were.... They killed them."

"Is she tattling on us?" Kankuro asked Temari.

"I don't know," Temari said. "But if this woman starts in on us too, I'mma let her have it."

"It's your funeral," Dabi said.

Shine hugged Momo gently. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't like seeing it either."

Momo leaned on her shoulder.

"Is that it?" Shoto said. "You aren't going to tell them it was wrong?"

"I don't know if it was wrong," Shine said. "The Sound Ninja seemed pretty evil and dangerous to me. Was it self defense?"

"More or less." Dabi shrugged. "They did what they had to do, Likstar."

"Then I don't want to think about it," Shine said. "I'm sorry you saw it, though... even though you will probably have to see such things a lot if you want to be heroes."

"I know. It's not that, it's that they..." Shoto trailed off. None of the ninja were looking at all sorry.

"Nevermind," he sighed darkly.

"Where is Naruto?" Gaara asked.

"Somewhere far ahead by now," Shikamaru said. "If he wasn't stopped, then he must have found Sasuke...hopefully."

"It's clouding over," Temari said.

"No it isn't." Kiba looked up.

"It will," Temari said. "I smell rain in the air. If we're not going after Naruto, then we'd better find those other Leaf, and get back to that village."

"A village sounds better than sleeping outside again," Dabi said.

"You can't just go in," Kankuro said.

"We'll worry about that," Shine said. "Let's find your other friends." Her eyes lit up. "This way."

She headed into the trees.

"Who is this?" Rock Lee asked.

"Whoever she is," Temari said, "she seems to know what she's doing more than the rest of you."

"We told you why," Momo said.

"No excuses, if you weren't trained you shouldn't have come," Temari said. "I almost feel sorry for your sensei, being saddled with you three whiners."

"Whiners?!" Shoto said.

"Don't think we've missed that you've been griping this whole time." Temari shrugged. "You hate it so much here? Go home, then! The last thing I need is to listen to you complain."

"She's right," Kankuro said. "You think we're beneath you, right? Why are you so high and mighty? You're new here. You're lower than Genin."

"We're not lower than them," Shoto said.

"Shut up, Snowflake," Dabi said.

"Don't tell me to shut up," Shoto said.

"You looking to get us kicked out of this place?" Dabi said. "Remember what Likstar told us?"

Shoto paused.

"No." Gaara looked up. "You shouldn't leave yet.... There's still much we need to talk about."

Shikamaru was giving Temari a look like "what is going on here?"

"These people seem a little testy," Kiba said to Rock Lee.

The ninja were all following Shine anyway.

The heroes followed.

* * *

Shine found Neji pretty near death, one of the Sound Ninja as nearby, but not moving.

"Oh no..." Momo said.

"He won't make it for long," Kankuro said, "not like this. Maybe if we get him to the hospital fast..."

"Could be too late already," Temari said. "But he's a Hyuga.... They're tough, so maybe."

"It seems like all of you were a little outclassed," Dabi said to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru gave him a sour look. "Yeah, but we were the best available. I did what I could."

"Are there no adults at your village?" Dabi said.

"After the attack, they were all too busy, away already," Kiba said.

"Oh...so this is Sand's fault," Dabi said.

Temari shot him a look. "It's Orochimaru's fault." 

"Touya, watch it," Shine said.

She bent down and put a hand on Neji's forehead. "He's very weak. I sense dark energy."

She assumed it was from the attacker, but in reality she likely was sensing his curse mark that she didn't know was a curse. They thought it was just the odd war paint.

"Can you help him, Shine?" Shoto asked.

 "It's not usually my gift, but perhaps... I was thinking, you said they depleted the chakra earlier, right, Gaara?"

"Yes," Gaara said.

"Spiritual energy is probably the same everywhere," Shine said. "Momo, why don't you help me?"

"Me?" Momo was unsure...but she thought she should obey. "All right."

She put a hand on Neji's head also. 

Shine's eyes flashed gold, and Momo's hands suddenly glowed with faint light. She blinked at them in astonishment.

"She's a medic?" Shikamaru said.

"No..." Shoto muttered.

Neji suddenly blinked and coughed, then looked up at them.

"I thought that would hurt him," Dabi said. "Conflicting powers."

"Not an issue always," Shine said. "Hello, Neji."

Momo stared at her hands and then looked up at the sky in awe.

"Who are you?" Neji looked at Shine and Momo strangely. "Who are...? Shikamaru? Did we win?"

"We don't know yet," Shikamaru said. "But you almost died."

"But I won." Neji looked around. "Honestly--" He stood up. "--I don't think Sasuke is going to listen.... He might listen to Naruto. I know I was very bitter, before I spoke to Naruto."

"Naruto sounds a bit like Midoriya," Shoto said.

"Gosh, I hope not," Dabi said in disgust.

"Why is this Sasuke person so intent on leaving anyway?" Shine asked. "I thought you said he wasn't bitten on purpose."

"He wasn't..." Temari said. "I actually don't really understand it either."

Awkward pause.

"Later," Shikamaru said. "I want to find Choji first."

"Sounds to me like this Sasuke is going rogue," Dabi said. "Wasn't there something about that being the lowest of the low?"

"Quiet!" Rock Lee said. "That is no way to talk about our fellow Leaf."

"Come on," Temari urged.

They had to help Kiba, naturally, and his dog Akamaru, who was pretty cute. Neji helped now that he felt better.

They came to less dense trees, still looking for Choji. Before they found him, however, Temari spotted something in the sky.

Hopping into a tree, she looked upward.

"What is that?" She pointed.

Everyone got a better angle to look, and they saw a strange, misty haze in the air. Even Momo, Shoto, and Dabi could tell--it wasn't natural.

"That's not the rain," Temari confirmed. "That seems like chakra...dark chakra."

"Do you think Sasuke's coffin opened?" Neji asked.

"What coffin?" Gaara asked.

"The Sound sealed him in something.... I think he basically is nearly dead. It's to release the curse mark power, fully," Neji said.

"They did that to him?" Momo asked.

"He had to have let them," Shikamaru said grimly. "According to Kakashi, he went with them willingly. He was visited by them."

"Hold on, so not only is he going off on purpose, but he's allowing this thing to happen to him?" Dabi said. "What kind of an idiot would do that?"

"Sasuke would," Shikamaru said.

"It would have been nice to know this before," Temari said. "He doesn't even want rescuing...and if he fights us if we find him?"

"We're done," Shikamaru said. "Even if Neji is okay now, too many people are injured. And it's not your problem. We're going back to Leaf.... It's up to Naruto."

"May I ask how old Naruto is?" Shine asked.

"13," Shikamaru answered.

"And is he a Genin?" Shine asked.

"Yeah," Kiba said.

"And has he ever beaten Sasuke before?" Shine asked further.

"Not that I know of," Shikamaru said. "Maybe a few times..."

"By a lot--Sasuke is an Uchiha," Temari said. "They are one of the strongest clans in the world."

"And that dark energy there is probably from Sasuke," Shine said.

"Yeas...so?" Shikamaru said.

Shine's eyeS flickered. "Well, I'm going to look for Naruto, then."

"What?" they all said.

"This is insane," Shine said. "Even if the kid survives, this is a terrible idea. And if that evil energy is from them, I might be able to deflect it; I doubt any of you can--without busting out some Beast that is clearly uncontrollable."

"Shine, that's crazy," Shoto said. "Sasuke could be dangerous."

"Yeah, maybe," Shine said. "They did say he was a prick...but I can handle a prick.... He's a kid, right? I'm not going to be afraid of a kid."

"You should be afraid of Sasuke," Shikamaru said. "Are you mad, woman? This is no time for a novice."

Shine turned to looked at him firmly. "I am not a novice, Shikamaru. The rest of you, go to Leaf. Wait for me or follow me if you prefer. I intend to see what happened. It must be important."

"But...Shine," Momo said, "you're leaving us alone with them?"

"Just for now," Shine said. "Unless you want to come."

"No, we don't want to come--this is crazy," Shoto said. "And you shouldn't go either."

"Shoto--" Shine sounded exasperated. "--I've put up with lot today from all three of you, and since I didn't want to treat you like my subordinates, I allowed it, but I swear, if you do not stop trying to tell me how to DJ better, when you've had 2 whole days of experience at it, I'm going to have to start acting like your boss."

"Why bother bringing us if you weren't going to listen to us?" Shoto said.

"I never said I'd listen to you," Shine shot back. "I want to protect people, all right? The danger is that way." She pointed. "It's a waste of our talents to just play catch up like this.... Go with Temari, all right? She'll know what to do."

Temari looked up, surprised.

"Gaara, you'll make sure they're all right till I get back?" Shine said.

"If you're going after Naruto, I'd like to help," Gaara said.

"Trust me on this one, Gaara, you do not want to bring a Tailed Beast close to that stuff." Shine pointed. "If it gets agitated, that's too much to handle. I'm sorry, I think you'd better sit this one out."

She had a good point.

"I'm sorry, why is she--?" Shikamaru began.

"Fine, if you want to risk it," Kankuro cut in. "You think you can get Sasuke back?"

"I want to at least see this Sasuke," Shine said. "Whether I get him back or not...I'm not sure it falls to me. But Naruto shouldn't be out there alone, don't you think? I saw his picture, so.... Be back soon...and, kids, you should think about trying to use your gifts. No time like the present to start practicing."

"But we don't know what they are," Momo said.

Shine ran into the trees anyway, and they saw a flash of light a second later.

Everyone looked at each other.

"Let's keep looking for Choji," Shikamaru said, after a pause.

"I can't believe she just ditched us," Shoto said.

"Can you blame her?" Dabi said dryly. "She just wants some excitement. This is pretty dull."

"Shush, Dabi," Momo said tightly.

"Your sensei isn't happy with you," Kiba noted. "You must be failing."

"We wouldn't be if we just knew what we were supposed to do," Shoto said.

"Usually you have to figure that part out on your own," Shikamaru said.

Shoto looked down.

They followed the ninja.

"I guess I'm in charge now," Temari said.

"She said to follow you, not do as you said," Shoto said sourly.

"Clearly she's already realized I'm the brains of this outfit," Temari said smugly.

"I thought Gaara was the leader," Dabi said.

"He's in a class of his own," Temari hedged.

"Why are all of you stranded here?" Neji asked.

"Sightseeing," Dabi said. "Heard you have lovely rock formations...or trees, lots and lots of trees. I guess Village Hidden in Leaves really fits."

"Guys," Momo said, after a long time of not speaking, "I'm starting to feel guilty. Think about it, we've hardly helped Shine at all since we arrived. We've been focusing on ourselves a lot. I know none of us like it here much, but she seems to see something in it. Don't you think we could just be missing it?"

"What are we missing?" Shoto looked around warily.

"You are kind of dense," Dabi said.

"I meant you too," Momo said. "And myself. I've...hesitated a lot...but I think I just thought it'd be simpler somehow, Perhaps more like hero work, but this isn't a hero mission. We're not out to just rescue someone and then go back to our dorms.... We have to be here, with them...and it's not as easy, because people don't always trust you right off; our licenses mean nothing here. I guess I thought we'd be able to join in the mission faster...but I've just felt out of my depth."

Pause.

"Yeah, me too," Shoto finally admitted. "I never hesitated at home, but it's not like wer'e trying to apprehend a criminal or avert a natural disaster here.... I'm not sure what we're doing."

"Yeah, because what DJs do is insanely more complicated than what heroes do," Dabi said. "You guys bag it and tag it. They plan it out. It took how many run-ins with the LOV before I'd give them the time of day? A lot. And old Shiggy, it took even longer for him. That's still ongoing. I don't know you two creampuffs' stories, but I'm betting it took more than 2 days for you to see any difference."

"I don't even know when I saw one," Momo said. "I know that when they arrived, I was different than I am now, but I can't pinpoint when the change happened."

"I think I'm less blind to some things," Shoto said.

"Clearly, I'm not out of my mind--at least all the way," Dabi said. "Maybe that's it, huh? I don't expect things to be cut and dried--and simple and legal. You do. Sure, this hasn't been fun, but I can't say it surprised me that much. You're acting like you got a brochure to go on vacation and found out it was bootcamp instead."

"That's startlingly accurate," Momo said.

"Shine always made it sound so interesting," Shoto said.

They didn't notice that Temari was listening to all of this and casting them backwards glances out of the corner of her eye.

"Do you not know her at all?" Dabi said. "Is there any time you've ever been in danger with that woman and she and her dopey fiancé weren't making jokes and making light of the danger? Or mocking the people they were fighting...or preaching to them."

"That is what they do," Momo said.

"And did you really think that they told you how much it sucked?" Dabi asked. "Do they usually tell you how difficult things are for them? Do you think they're easy just because they don't b---- about it?"

Momo and Shoto exchanged a look.

"I guess they aren't," Shoto said.

"Yeah, you know, she's been trying to say it all along," Dabi said. "This is just normal DJ stuff. Now, I wonder why she and West didn't quit ages ago, but that's me and my love of personal dignity, I guess. But the fact is, you can't expect the two most dauntless, quippy, and weirdly upbeat people you know to give you a picture of what a nightmare their job can be. I bet we ain't even seen the half of it. Ever wonder what it's like to be on the other side of this? The LOV tried to kill them a few times--think they thought it was like the shinobi?"

"Probably," Momo said.

Shoto pursed his lips.

"Didn't stop them then, it won't stop Likstar now," Dabi said. "I do wonder, though--you don't have a problem fighting the evils at home, so why does it offend you if the people here treat you the same way?"

"Because, here we have no reason to be enemies," Momo said. "There's not a hero system here...but that's narrow, huh? To them, it might be the same."

"Bingo, finally, Princess gets a clue." Dabi snapped his fingers.

"You don't have to be rude to her," Shoto said. "We didn't think of it that way."

"Yeah, and you not thinking is not making this any easier for your teacher," Dabi said.

"You've been griping just as much as us," Shoto said.

"Yeah, but I gripe at home too," Dabi said. "She's used to it from me. She doesn't care as much. You two are being a problem for her by expecting her to take it seriously. I never did." He shrugged. "I just have a bad attitude"

"Maybe you should stop, then," Shoto said.

"You first," Dabi snorted.

"We can't point fingers," Momo said, "if we're not any better.... I'm sorry, Dabi.... I think you're right. We've been a little inconsiderate. And what's more humiliating is that the Sand ninja have noticed it..."

"Yeah, wonder why they don't like us," Dabi said.

Shoto rubbed his face. "But what if I can't do that? What Shine does? I don't know if I'm capable of it."

"Maybe you don't need to do what she does," Momo said. "Just...be like you are with 1-A. Everyone likes you in the class. I'm sure these ninja will like you also--they just haven't had a chance to see it yet."

"Oh, don't lie to him. Plenty of people can't stand him either," Dabi said.

"They don't really know him," Momo argued. "That isn't helping, Dabi."

"Whatever," Dabi said.

Suddenly the ninja in front of them stopped. They'd found Choji.