[OP: "Cold"--The Oh Hellos]

Day 73:

It was a chilly day in Stone Village when Team Zoe, Gaara's peace cohort, was getting ready to depart.

Most of them had expected to be going home after they'd finished helping Stone stop the attack of the bandit group led by the man known as Kasasagi (now safely locked away to await judgment), but then the message from Cloud Village had arrived the night before, inviting them to come to them.

Gaara didn't dare refuse. Cloud Village was known for being proud and very hostile to outsiders before the Great Ninja War of a few months ago, and no one was sure they'd truly lost that attitude. Cloud had had almost no contact with the other Villages in many years.

Unless you counted the time they'd tried to kidnap Naruto's mother, years ago, in the previous war...or the time they'd tried to kidnap Hinata when she was a child...

But Naruto had hit it off with Lord Bee, the 8-Tails jinchuriki, before the War, and Wally had managed to save Lord Ay's own assistant, Mabui, during it...so they hoped Cloud would be a little more amenable to their team.

Of course it wouldn't help that they had Cloud's most hated enemies, Sasuke and his old Team Taka, in their group.

But Shine insisted she had a plan for that part.

Tsunade, who was still in Stone with them and going to stay a bit longer to make sure the disease that the bandits had poisoned them with was really under control, told Shine she was crazy for taking them with her.

"They've proven themselves enough," she said. "I know Ay--he's got a hotter temper than even I do. And he's a rough man... He's not a bad sort if you understand him, but he won't understand you. In fact, if you act the way you usually do, you probably won't last one day. And on top of that, bringing his most disliked Leaf ninjas with you? It's like asking him to kick you out. Sasuke has done enough to show he's serious about changing his path. Why do you want to keep pushing him?"

"He wouldn't leave us anyway," Shine said. "And honestly, he's only just truly begun."

She knew, as Tsunade did not, that Sasuke had only just decided to commit to their way of life completely...and that after a very long war with himself and his demons (literally at times) about what he would do.

Sasuke hadn't told anyone but Shine and Wally so far. It had only been about two days, but the others had noticed he was quieter and less rude than usual.

Tsunade didn't notice anything, though. She wasn't around him enough to.

"I don't know what you mean," she told Shine. "But it's stupid to bring him... But if you do bring him, I hope you have one good apology planned. It won't matter, but you could at least try."

"I know what to do, I think," Shine said. "Based on all I know of Cloud Village."

"No one knows anything about Cloud Village," Tsunade said. "Even I've only been there once. I didn't see much of it at the time, and they never let anyone else there at all. The War was fought outside the Village walls, and they won't like you snooping around. I mean it, you can't act like you own the place. The way you talked to Onoki when you met with him was scandalous, and he's a softer nut to crack than Ay."

"Are you so sure about that?" Shine asked, thoughtfully. "I will tell you truthfully I've been looking forward to meeting Ay again. I wanted to visit Cloud most of all."

"Why?" Tsunade didn't think anyone had ever said that before--unless to say they wanted to destroy it.

"It's interesting to have a challenge," Shine said. "But more than that, I happen to know something that Ay did, many years ago, that I can't see Onoki ever doing. It gives me hope."

"I can't imagine what."

"No? It involved you."

Tsunade stared at her, then she narrowed her eyes. "You mean... How did you know about that?"

"Not important." Shine shrugged. "But you know what I mean. That time with the people who used exploding bugs... How did that end anyway?"

"You don't know that part?" 

"Oddly no, my connection cut off after you healed the poor guy who had it in his chest."

"We caught them. It was a small matter," Tsunade shrugged. "And I suppose you're going to say you read some kind of goodness into the Raikage over that? That would be like you, if you think that people like that Taka group are worth your time."

"Tsunade, I've really tried to be nice to you, but if you're going to insult my team, we're going to have a problem," Shine said tightly. "And why shouldn't I think better of Ay? I know you do."

Tsunade looked a little uneasy. "I...well...if you compare his common sense to the others, he doesn't have any. The man is a hothead. But he's brave enough and willing to humble himself for his own followers. That what you're saying, I suppose."

"I know no other Kage who'd ever have asked their enemies for help at a time like that, just out of concern for one lowly shinobi," Shine said simply. "And since you asked Sand Village for their help later on, perhaps you were inspired by it a little?"

"I think that's not really the case," Tsunade said. "There was a lot more to Sand...but that was a thing that happened years ago, and he was desperate at the time. You're not going to have anything he needs, not like that. Do you really think that would work?"

"It tells me one thing," Shien said. "That the man's pride is not so much he will sacrifice his own people for it. That's one up over Onoki, from all I can see. I can work with someone like that, I believe. Granted, his temper might well ruin it for us. We'll have to see. I'm sure that he's only allowed Gaara to visit out of concern for the Village anyway. They can't afford to make enemies."

"But they are the only Village left that has a jinchuriki," Tsunade said. "And that's another reason to be wary of them."

"Lord Bee?" Shine snorted. "He's about as threatening as a Cocker Spaniel. Or maybe a clownfish, since he's an aquatic thing... They're like the small dogs of the sea world, right?"

[After seeing Finding Nemo, maybe.]

"Bee could kill you," Tsunade said, as if she was stupid. "You know he's dangerous, right?"

"I judge danger differently than you do," Shine said. "But yes, I know."

She didn't seem worried.

"Miss Likstar, I wonder if you really are crazy." Tsunade shook her head.

"I wonder if you are," Shine said. "Listen, Tsunade, think of it this way: I'm betting you that we'll succeed in Cloud and do better, even, than in Stone--that wouldn't be much of a threshold anyway. Now, you always lose your bets, right? But you always gamble anyway. I'm not a gambler, but, if I was, I assume it would be because something about the thrill of it is worth the losses. And I suppose that's the best way I can explain it to you. The risk is worth the reward. If we can get Cloud on our side, we can do anything, and Gaara will know it. Rain Village was hard, but it wasn't nearly as hard as Stone."

"About that," Tsunade said, "I suppose I should let you know that I did tell Ay in my letter that you went there."

"I knew it," Shine said. "Temari asked Kurotsuchi about it when she went to deliver our response, and she basically alluded to as much... For shame. Why didn't you tell us you were going to write?"

"I figured if he said no it would be best to get it over with quickly. But that Village will impress even Cloud. Even they wouldn't go to it, and they're crazy enough. Cloud isn't like Leaf, you know. Leaf makes logical decisions--"

Shine scoffed.

"But Cloud thinks with their emotions," Tsunade added, testily.

"Marginally, maybe there's a difference," Shine said. "But oh well. Trust me, where I live, people make emotional decisions all the time. I think I'm used to it. Well, it's probably that that sealed the deal. Maybe we should thank you. Too bad you won't be coming with us."

"I'm sure you'll love that," Tsunade said sarcastically. "But actually I will be joining you there, shortly. I thought I might as well make this tour of mine for medicine complete, and I know they'll let me come if they let you come. But it will be later than your arrival. And I'm sending Suzushi home."

"Oh? Why?" Shine asked.

Suzushi was Tsunade's guard for this journey. He was ANBU and also from the Foundation, so he'd been much like Sai--only somehow even less socially adept.

"Because in Cloud Village that man's lack of tact will get him killed," Tsunade said. "I don't need it. And he's too much of a weakling to be any real protection against them. I suppose we'll all be in close proximity, and I can handle myself."

"No doubt," Shine said dryly. "I guess you have the slug army if you get in trouble. Don't do that in front of me though. I will throw up."

"It's a good thing you're not a medical shinobi," Tsunade said loftily.

"Any other warnings or helpful hints?" 

"No, and clearly you're not going to listen even if I had one." Tsunade rolled her eyes. "I hope Sakura at least will keep you all on track."

Shine choked back another laugh.

Sakura was barely even used to the team still.

Sure, it had been 10 and a half weeks, but Sakura needed that long to get used to people.

And they to get used to her, apparently. She'd finally grown on them after a lot of bumpy road, but she still fought with them regularly...verbally now.

Shine asked Gaara later if Tsunade had passed on the same warnings to him. This was while they were walking back to the compound they'd been staying at.

"She did give me a few," Gaara said. "She said that Ay Sama is proud, which I knew already... However, my memory of him at the Summit is that he was more angry about his brother and accusing us of things because of that. I'm sure concern for his family is a sympathetic reason for him to be angry, and I hope he will be more cordial this time."

He paused. "But I think I've learned that things do not always go like how we expect."

Stone's reception of them had been...rocky at best, outright hostile at worst. They'd finally worked it out only because they'd saved them so much that Stone couldn't really complain about them anymore without seeming ridiculous...but the mood of the Village towards them was still pretty flat.

Not that many people saw them off. Onoki was still recovering from nearly dying of the poison, and his granddaughter was the one who saw them off.

Kurotsuchi had at least been much nicer and more cordial to them since they'd returned, and they really liked her much more, but she was still hesitating to commit to anything, and Gaara knew she'd never really have a full alliance with them till Onoki had settled down.

She also was wearing black, because her father had died from the bandit attack, as had many people. The Village was a shell of its formal self, even after the War.

They had some ideas for how to fix that that Temari had suggested to her, but no one knew if it would be taken up on.

Aside from asking them to go easy on Kasasagi, since he'd surrendered in the end, Shine had asked nothing in return for their help except that they let the bandits who'd helped them leave with them.

Those were two lovers named Doro and Zokei, who were going to go off on their own as soon as they were far enough away from the Stone Village territory and any fear of retribution for what they had done.

The others were Ami, a nice bandit who had helped Sakura escape when she'd been captured, and her son Eichi, whom Hanabi had met on their first stop at this Village, and then he'd helped her when they'd come back.

They were going to go with them so that Team Zoe could help Ami pick up her other children and her sister, who had been watching them in her own small town in the land of Earth.

Then they'd have to go somewhere. They were still deciding that part.

Eichi would be joining them, however, going to Cloud. He'd begged to join them to repay them for their help--and because, finally, his mother wanted him to have a chance to make a better name for himself than being used as a bandit runner. And this was the prime opportunity.

He was the same age as Hanabi or slightly older, even, so they had no reason to say he couldn't join. He knew a little of the Earth Jutsu, which they had very little of in the team, so it made sense.

Momo noted to them that, according to her log of the trip, they were now on the 73rd day of it.

"And," she said, "anyone notice something interesting about Eichi joining us?"

"It's auspicious?" Hanabi said.

"Well...uh, I don't exactly believe in superstitions, anymore," Momo said.

"Why is it auspicious anyway?" Shoto asked.

"Eichi's name," Hanabi said.

"What does it mean?" Shine asked.

"It means 'wise child'," Momo said. "Or 'wise son', perhaps. There's a saying that if someone like that works with you, it's good luck, or something of that nature."

"That's a thing in the Land of Stone," Eichi confirmed. "That's why it's my name."

"I like that name," Shine said. "We would call you something starting with 'Soph', if it was in my vernacular. That's our sound for wisdom. Or perhaps Solomon, the wisest king who ever lived, next to Jesus."

"That could be his code name if we need one," Camie suggested. "I vibe with that. So, you excited to be on our mission, bro?"

"I'm kind of nervous, actually." Eichi was a pretty straightforward person. "But it's better than stealing. And I've never been outside the Land of Earth, so...I'm interested in that."

"If it helps, none of us have ever been to Cloud Village except for Tsunade," Hanabi said.

"But we did go right outside it," Suigetsu said. "Remember that? When we attacked their jinchuriki? Good times. I'm sure they won't still be holding a grudge over that."

"You could have left," Karin said.

"No way you get all the fun," Suigetsu said.

"Don't worry, Karin," Naruto said. "I'll protect you. Lord Bee is cool, and I'm sure he'll understand once we explain to him."

"You will need that optimism later," Jugo said somberly. 

"So how far to your town?" Sakura asked Ami.

"At a good pace? Just a day's walk," she said. "I hope we'll reach it by nightfall. I'm not much for camping under the stars."

"You'll have to, once we're back on the road," Sakura said. "And that was the one thing I did not miss about being outside Stone Village."

"I don't understand why you're going to pick up this woman's family," Suzushi startled her and Ino by speaking in his flat, emotionless voice. "You don't owe her that just for her meager assistance."

Ino still found him off-putting. "It's the nice thing to do," she said. "Why leave them there? And she's missing her family. I think it's sweet... I miss my mom. I bet they're really lonely without her."

"I don't know what you mean by missing her," Suzushi said. "Isn't she too far away for it to matter?"

"Huh?" Ino puzzled.

"He thinks you mean literally missing her," Sai supplied, looking at his notebook.

"Oh..." Ino shook her head. "Missing is wanting to be around someone, Suzushi."

Suzushi didn't seem nearly as interested in this as Sai was.

"It's still illogical to slow down going to the next major Village over a common thief. They will take it as disrespectful if they find out," he insisted. "Our code clearly states that the Kage's wishes should take priority over small shinobis'."

"Our code--" Ino began to get it with him. "--says that everyone matters as much as anyone else."

Suzushi appeared to be confused by that.

He stopped asking her questions.

Sai was rather impressed that Ino had the face to argue with Suzushi at all. He still was nervous around the guy every time he thought about Danzo's training and how Suzushi must have completed it by killing his partner.

Ino never did seem to care about things like that, and she was always ready to defend people who were weak, something that ANBU never taught.

Ino caught him looking at her and got flustered and walked away.

She was keeping her...torch for Sai to herself, as she'd discussed with Shine while in Rain Village. They feared that Sai wouldn't understand those kinds of feelings, and it was best not to confuse him. He'd been having a hard time with all the emotions that were getting released in him since his brainwashing was becoming more undone with time. No need to make it worse.

But it was hard, when he did nice things, not to act like it affected her more than the average person...

Sai misread her looking away as assuming he was disappointing her (he really didn't know the difference between a disapproving look and an impressed one when he was making them).

"It's admirable that you're trying to teach him about emotions," he told her aloud. "It's a shame he's not interested."

Ino managed a weak laugh. "I'm wasting my time," she said. "He just makes me so crazy with that 'all you do is illogical' kind of thing. Like those horrible guys who say women never think... Only he thinks that's all of us."

"I think he should pay more attention," Sai said, almost distastefully. "I still feel sorry for him--I think...but I also think he's stubborn about defending the Foundation, and for what? It doesn't matter now."

"It does matter to him," Ino shrugged. "My father used to say that people build pathways in their minds based on their loyalties and their Village's ninja way. It's harder to crack some of them because of that. There's a difference between people who are loyal because they have to be or they'll die, or people who are truly loyal out of affection or duty. They're harder to crack. It seems like the Foundation didn't leave much room to distinguish between those two kinds of loyalty."

"We didn't feel things. I felt fear of it when I left... I only knew it was dangerous to express that."

"Isn't that a kind of fear?" Ino asked.

"I...guess it could be." Sai hadn't thought of it that way.

"And...it is possible that Suzushi, or the others, might feel more as if the Foundation was like their home...in a strange way," Ino said. "And maybe that's why he's not interested in abandoning the principles? I can't explain it, but it's strange. People will be loyal even to the worst of Villages, like Blood Mist Village... Maybe for them it's safer than leaving."

"Maybe it's a good sign if he has some loyalty," Sai mused. "I just don't like him..."

"Why not?" Ino was surprised to hear this. "You have a lot in common."

Sai got very somber. "Not one thing."

Ino had to think about it.

"Wait...do you mean...because he's...and his partner?" she said hesitantly.

"If you mean because he must have killed him, then yes." Sai only guessed that because he knew the context for once.

Ino hadn't thought about it, but seeing how Sai's one difference from the others of the Foundation had been that, she saw that it must be a little weird for him...or maybe very weird.

"Oh..." she winced. "I guess that... But didn't he not know any better?"

"It's strange that I should think of him in such low terms," Sai said, "since that is true, but I still don't like him. Maybe it's that he doesn't feel anything about it. All of them were just tools to the others."

Ino pursed her lips.

"I see," she said. "I understand."

There wasn't anything else to say about it, she thought. She had no idea how to make it better. She wouldn't like it either.

But Sai, probably more than anyone, did understand. He smiled.

Ino smiled back and then caught herself. 

"I should catch up to Camie," she said in a hurry.

Sai didn't get the change in mood there, but he didn't stop her from going.

Suzushi had not listened to any of that. He'd been walking slower, but now he spoke again.

"You seem to be drawn to these other shinobi," he said. "If I knew how to gauge emotions, I might say you like them."

"I think I do like them," Sai said, as if it was a new thought. "I have a hard time knowing, but, I think so."

"It's useless to have likes and dislikes," Suzushi said. "And that one," meaning Ino, "especially seems to be encouraging people to be weak. I know the Yamanaka clan and what it's famous for. They're dangerous."

Sai felt angrier than he'd have thought at hearing this.

"Ino is not dangerous," he said. "Not to us. She is the sort of person who defends people, that's all."

"You seem close," Suzushi said, warily almost. "That's just what I'm saying. You've opened yourself up to these people. What would Danzo say?"

"Danzo having a preference about it was a contradiction of his own techniques," Sai shot back.

Sai could be quite savage when he knew what he was doing.

And you could see that thought had never crossed Suzushi's mind before--as, in fact, they were all trained not to let it.

He got the most confused look again.

Sai, satisfied with his results, decided to move away before he could lose his composure. He had gone for a while without a meltdown and didn't want to break the streak. They were deeply unpleasant when he had them.

"D--m." Dabi had heard what he said. "I guess the beanpole is getting bit better at those comebacks."

"How do you feel about going to Cloud?" Shoto asked him, not caring about Sai's banter.

"Me?" Dabi said. "I still think it's a dangerous idea, but I know that no one is going to stop. I guess it's the full circle. We have to do it. But, Cloud is hard to pin down. No one knows anything about them because they have no contact with the outside world. The only thing we know is the many things they've done that are pretty messed up. I can't see that the War taught them any better. Ay didn't seem like the most humble guy when we did meet him."

"And his assistant?" Shoto asked. "You still think she's not going to matter after all?"

"Her?" Dabi scoffed. "There's nothing to that person. I told you, she's not important. It was just an odd fluke that West saved her."

"Didn't you save her once or twice also?" Shoto asked. "From the plant?"

"Not for long." Dabi didn't want to talk about that.

"But surely she must have talked to you," Shoto pressed. "Maybe you got a better idea of her character."

"The only idea I got is that she's stuck up." Dabi said that about anyone who talked like they were better educated than the average person. He'd assumed the same about Momo at first. "And she wasn't remotely helpful, so she's not much of a fighter."

"I thought her power was unique," Shoto said. "Maybe it wasn't suited to fighting demonic trees."

"Well, not many people are suited to that," Dabi said wryly. "She asked annoying questions, which I didn't answer. That's all I can tell you. And if that's what we can expect, then I'm not enthused about it. Shine still thinks she'll matter, but I doubt it."

"Shine is usually right."

"It's just a guess this time," Dabi said. "There was still nothing to know about her or about anyone in the Village. The most we know is about Ay, and that's not much."

"I'm more concerned about that woman who beat Naruto up than I am about the assistant or Ay. She won't like that we have Sasuke with us. I thought he'd never go to Cloud."

"Really? You thought he wouldn't take up the challenge? Because he's usually the type to stay out of danger?" Dabi scoffed.

Shoto shrugged to acknowledge the point. "He's been...kind of quiet today, hasn't he? No snide remarks."

"He's just tired after yesterday," Dabi said. "And his girlfriend getting caught, I mean, that would wear on a guy." He meant that as mockery.

"I wonder if he was worried." Shoto glanced at Sasuke and then at Sakura. "I can't ever read him."

Sasuke looked at him and then looked away.

He wasn't scowling... It did seem a little like he was in a better mood. But then, for Sasuke that wasn't saying much.

"Well, Baby, we're finally through with Stone village," Wally said as they made it through the gate and looked back.

"Good riddance." Shine was still not over being salty about it. "I hope we never come back here, for real this time. Not that it was all bad, but it's ugly, and the people were mid at best, to use Camie's words. I think we can agree we've got the best of them with us right now."

"I'm not one to be negative, but I'm glad to get out of here too," Wally said. "I hope Cloud is more fun. They seem like cool people...I mean...for all 10 minute we get of them..."

"They should like you, right? You did them a solid," Shine said.

"I hope so... The favor thing doesn't seem to go as far with ninja," Wally mused.

"This way to the town?" Temari was examining their worn out map.

"Yes," Ami said. "Again, thank you for doing this."

"It's no trouble," Gaara said. Though it was trouble, if you thought about how it would slow them down.

Temari sniffed the air.

"I don't like the feel of this wind current," she said. "I sense moisture. I think we're in for another rainstorm. Maybe a worse one this time. We should try to get to the town ahead of it."

"Great," Kankuro said cheerfully.

"I look forward to heading back towards Leaf after all this," Rock Lee said. "I'll tell them you're all doing well. They won't believe all that's happened."

"I can guarantee that," Tenten said.

"Any songs for leaving Stone Village?" Bakugo asked Shine.

"Are you asking me that to make fun of me, or because you really want to know?" Shine asked.

"You have one every time we leave. It's tradition," Bakugo said.

"A very Irish tradition," Shine mused. "I guess I am part Irish. This does feel kind of like the Hebrew's leaving Egypt, after everything we went through here."

She started to hum:

"Like caroling bells, the house of Augustus rings with the echoing in my fellow passerine, as they turn to,

"Like a fox to a burrow, like an eagle to an aerie [nest]. My God, it's getting hard to even hum a single thing.

"(You were the song that I'd always sing. You were the light that the fire would bring, but I can't shake this feeling that I was only pushing the spare into your side again.)

"My birds of a kind more and more are looking like centurions than any little messiah.

"As I prune my feathers, like leaves from a vine, I find that we have fewer and fewer in my kind.

"My palms and fingers still reek of gasoline, fueled with the fire of that Greco-Roman dream.

"Purify the holy rock to melt the guillotines. It will bring me relief? No, it'll bring me nothing.

"(You were the song that I'd always sing...)

"When it comes a-knocking at my door, what am I to do? [x2] Oh Lord?

"When the cold wind blows in from the north, what am I to do [x2] Oh Lord?"

https://youtu.be/Du5q8lkXpw0

["Passerine"--The Oh Hellos. If you listen to this song and then the opening song of the chapter, "Cold", you'll hear the same melody in one section.

This song is alluding to the themes of the Stone Village book ending, and how they were about judging others based on your man-made perception of God to the point where you ignore God Himself, as this song says when it mentions the holy rock and not looking like any little messiah.

The last two lines are a warning about the spiritual death that comes when you do this to yourself. That's what the "Cold" means.]

"Not the most uplifting choice," Camie said.

Shine shrugged. "Fine."

She launched into different one:

"Many nights we've prayed with no proof anyone could hear, in our hearts a hopeful song we barely understood.

"Now we are not afraid, although we know there's much to fear. We were moving mountains long before we knew we could.

"(There can be miracles when you believe. Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill.

"Who knows what miracles you can achieve? When you believe somehow you will. You will when you believe.)"

https://youtu.be/2ipTOrO0vF0

["When You Believe"--The Prince of Egypt. You get the reference if you've seen the movie.]