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

The girls explored the house for a bit, but finally Sakura called dibs on the bathtub, though Camie tried to protest it.

"I've been working all day--I earned it," Sakura said before shoving them out none too nicely.

"Oh well, there's the showers," Ino said. "Anything is better than nothing. Or those wet wipes."

"I'm so bushed. I can't wait to go to sleep," Camie sighed.

Which they did pretty soon after that.

* * *

Shine did take the time to talk to Sasuke, Suigetsu, Karin and Jugo.

She explained why she had thought Bee would spare them and her thought process about the fight.

"I also recognize that it was gambling with your lives in a way," she said. "Which is not something I like doing...however, coming here was gambling with your lives to begin with. It was a chance, and it's amazing that we made it one day and they agreed not to kill you--but I understand why you're angry, and I would be too. If there was another plan that would have worked, I'd have used it...but Ay was not going to let us off the hook. That was clear after what I said to him and how he responded. So...I guess it's up to you if you forgive me for that or not, but I thought I should explain myself to you. You all deserve to know."

Karin had her arms folded, but she sighed. "We're alive, so... But you'd really have let them kill us if we lost that fight?"

"I'm saying, Karin, that if you had, they'd have killed you anyway," Shine said, "or if we'd refused... Whatever I would have done, I'm not sure. I don't think I could have stood by and allowed it, but I don't know that I could have saved you. Unless they took a substitution...but I'm not sure that would have worked for all 4. Let's say, I knew that plan had to work. There was nothing else to do. I believe it was divinely inspired...and you weren't hurt much, for all their threats."

That wasn't quite the answer that Karin wanted.

"I suppose you did what you had to do," Suigetsu said grudgingly. "I guess it makes sense that Bee would quit since he did before. And Karin's chakra chains did help... It was still a gamble, but I guess we knew it'd be dangerous here. Next time tell us that the plan is that screwy."

"I understand, personally," Jugo said. "We're a liability for your team. Some people would have just let them have us. Your risk was clever...and better than us still being their public enemies. There's nothing to forgive."

Sasuke was silent for longer, not sure what he thought.

Finally, he said, "Not many people would take a risk like that with anyone they actually liked. It's almost deceptive that you could do it and still claim to care... If you really thought Bee would spare us, it might make sense to have us fight the one person who would...but you didn't really know for sure. So what do I do with that?"

Shine shrugged. She didn't even defend herself. She was just quiet.

"She told me her plan," Wally spoke up. "I thought Bee would hold back, too. I'm used to guys who do that on the job, so I guess it was easy for me to believe it. But if he'd been all anxious to fight and kill you, we wouldn't have tried that plan. It was because he wasn't interested in what was going on that we thought it would work. So some of it was played by ear, but we also thought he wouldn't hurt Naruto's friend, even if he pretended he would."

"Cloud is known to test people's resolve," Shine said. "At least what we know of it. If you show mettle, they will respect you. I'm hoping it will be enough to overcome their hatred of us in time. I also left that loophole in the deal on purpose so that he could forfeit. He didn't miss that part."

"Oh...I thought it was weirdly specific that you said that," Suigetsu said. "So you put the idea into his head."

"I think he would have, even if he was worried that Ay would say he dishonored his Village," Shine said. "Essentially, I won the fight as soon as Ay allowed that clause because he thought it would not matter. It goes to show that Ay is not as good at predicting people as I am." She shrugged. "But it was a gamble. After all, the other 3 weren't all on the same page. I believed you could handle them. And you did. I live my own life taking chances on other people's characters, and I suppose it's all I know how to do in a world where I have no authority beyond this spiritual kind. And Gaara's hands were tied. We can't fight this Village, so..."

"Fine," Sasuke said, almost imperiously. "If you say that's why, then I suppose we have to take you at your word, as you 'never lie'. But I don't want you to do anything like that to me again. Maybe this once it was necessary... If I hadn't thought it might work, I wouldn't have held back in the fight anyway. I don't understand Bee's way of thinking at all, but, if it worked, then I guess you do understand it. Still, next time I won't hold back."

Shine didn't take this threat very seriously. It was such a typical thing for these people to say.

But she nodded. "Understood. Fair enough."

"Yeah, and we won't ask you to do that again," Wally said. "Next time Cloud tries to get an attitude, we'll just tell 'em straight off that they already lost... I hope that works out."

"But it's just beginning--you know that, right?" Suigetsu said. "They don't trust us, and you humiliating them might make it worse, not better."

"A lot hangs on how we play this for the next 2 weeks," Shine said. "And I hope you will cooperate with that. We must let them see who we are. All 4 of you have come a long way, and if Cloud sees that you are not dangerous to them, they may let it go...maybe. I still think they are not quite as unfair as Stone. But they're tough."

"I hope you're right then." Sasuke got up. "I'm tired." He left.

"Better be right," Karin muttered before she left too.

Jugo shrugged. "It's not really any worse than before. Whether we are here or not, Cloud was going to hate us. This way we can still perhaps change their minds."

"Yeah, whoop dee doo," Suigetsu snorted, getting up also.

Jugo finally went to get ready for bed after that.

"Well, it was close, but you did it," Wally told Shine.

"That was the grace of God," Shine said. "Thank God that Bee is a reasonable man....but Ay is the bigger problem."

"I think he was slightly impressed by your gall though," Wally said. "I know I was... I mean, sheesh, it's like telling off Superman...kinda. If he was slower."

"Wouldn't you?"

"Oh, sure, but I can dodge," Wally joked.

Shine laughed only weakly. 

* * *

Day 86:

https://youtu.be/3LMVJ2xd1g8

["Keep Your Head Up"--Andy Grammer]

Mabui's debriefing with Lord Ay was...interesting.

He'd already gone through some sake in order to mellow out his rage after earlier, but it didn't affect him that strongly--he was still pretty mad.

And since she had nothing useful to tell him--except that Miss Likstar had told her that she'd planned the whole thing (which he already knew), and that the one they called Dabi (whatever his real name was) had let on that he knew she was spying on them--she couldn't cheer him up.

"There's some duplicity in all this," Ay declared, "but I can't put my finger on it... They're sly, those ones. Lord Gaara was not like this before. He has learned some bad habits from their company, clearly."

Mabui wondered privately why Gaara had employed them at all.

"But they trusted you?" Ay found some silver lining. [Get it? Because they're Clouds?]

"As I said, the one doesn't, but they weren't harsh to me," Mabui said.

Which she was wondering about, since they already knew she was watching them.

"Hmm...that doesn't make sense," Ay mused. "But they don't want you dead, or they wouldn't have kept you alive, so I suppose you're the only one to keep an eye on them. He didn't threaten you?"

"No, sir, he never threatened me," Mabui said.

But it was in his eyes, she thought. There was something intense about that man, despite how flatly he spoke. She was positive he wasn't new to violence. As a shinobi, you got a feel for people who had blood on their hands, and Cloud ninja were certainly no exception to that.

She didn't believe most of the younger members were killers; they didn't strike her that way...yet, anyway. But no one knew much about most of them, not in Cloud.

She had to ponder again the disadvantage they had because of their exclusivity in the past.

"Well, if they know, they know," Ay finally decided. "So be discreet. That's your specialty, isn't it? Eh, no one else could do it, that's for sure. And luckily, no one knows much about you, so they won't expect much."

"But, sir, how do I find out information about people who will know not to answer any questions?" Mabui said.

"They must have a chink in their armor. Just find it," Ay insisted. "I leave that detail to you."

Which was his way of saying he had no idea how but figured she'd do it if she persisted enough...  That was Ay's solution to everything.

Mabui sighed.

But, resolutely, she went to the house to check on them the next morning... At least she could keep up the appearance of just doing her duties.

But, to her surprise, she ran into Karui and Omoi on their way--Samui had not wanted to join them.

"Hey, are you really going to check on those reprobates after yesterday?" Karui asked.

"It's my job," Mabui said, a little stiffly.

"Oh, relax," Omoi said. "A pretty lady like you shouldn't be so uptight."

Mabui's eyes narrowed. She had never hung around him much before, but she was thinking she wouldn't want to if this was the humor she could expect.

"Omoi, shut up," Karui snapped at him, but he paid her no mind at all.

"It's not that we're suggesting anything," Karui went on. "We're going with you. I don't trust them. You're just one person... What is Lord Ay thinking, asking you to do this by yourself?"

"I don't have any orders to take you there with me," Mabui said.

"So? We'll just follow you. Then it's fine," Karui said. "You're not taking us."

Mabui couldn't stop her--and it might not be a bad idea. She didn't think these people would hurt her, but backup was useful.

Omoi shrugged. "Plus, if we do this, we don't have to sell concert tickets for Lord Bee today. We told him we had official business to do...so if he asked, we were told to do this with you."

"I don't think that I'm going to lie--" Mabui began.

"Well, just don't say differently then," Karui cut in. "I can't stand doing that concert thing today. It's too humid, and it takes forever." She folded her arms.

So this was their level of concern for her safety? To be expected.

"Let's go," Omoi said. "It's miserable standing out here."

It really wasn't that bad, but Omoi was the type to complain.

* * *

At the house the Team was loving that they had a big kitchen this time around.

"I call first kitchen duty," Bakugo had said. "Make a proper meal for you idiots."

"If you're offering, I won't say no," Shine said.

"Bakugo's cooking is the best anyway," Camie said.

"I actually like Fuyumi's more," Shoto said. "Bakugo overdoes the flavor."

"What did you say?! I'll blast you straight through the pearly gates, Icy Hot!" Bakugo said.

"Don't you mean hell?" Sakura asked, irritably.

"Eh...we don't go to hell, so no," Bakugo said.

"Do you think they'll let you in heaven if you kill me over that remark?" Shoto said. "Please, Bakugo."

"Oh, shut up. It's call hyperbole," Bakugo said.

"Little surprised you know what that is," Dabi said. 

"We have a dining table that's actually big enough for all of us," Momo said, looking into the dining room. "We don't have to take turns."

"Oh, goody," Shikamaru said. "Because eating with all 25 of us, or however many there are now, in one noisy huddle is my idea of a peaceful breakfast."

"I need to feed Zoe," Sai said. "I think she landed on the roof last night. I heard scratching... But what does she eat?"

"How about the big bugs they have here?" Hanabi asked. "Hinata and I just found the largest beetle I've ever seen in our room...or was it a spider?"

"I didn't look that closely." Hinata shuddered. "I just killed it. What if they're poisonous?"

"Venomous," Sai corrected.

"Whatever they are, it was ugly," Hanabi said. "But, there're no roaches here."

"Anywhere that's this tropical will have plenty of bugs," Shine mused. "It's always the way. We better keep those screens closed at all times."

"How will we sneak out the window then?" Naruto asked.

"You won't," Shine said. 

Karin sat down at the table. "I think the Cloud are on their way here." 

"Do they have torches and pitchforks?" Suigetsu asked.

"How could I know just from their chakra?" Karin sniffed. "Only 3 of them, I think. I doubt they want a fight."

"I think Mabui is going to check in every day," Shine said. "That's what it sounded like."

"Oh, great," Dabi said. "Some people cannot take a hint."

"You would know," Sakura said. "I hope that woman writes you up for your behavior."

"Hey, unlike you, Sakura, I don't break private property when I get mad," Dabi said.

Sakura snapped some wooden chopsticks before she realized she was doing it.

"Case in point..." Shikamaru muttered.

"Wait, Karui and Omoi are with her." Karin went rigid. "What do they want?"

"Round 2?" Jugo said. "I hope not, though."

"We've got the attack bird now," Camie said. 

"Hmm, I don't think Karui will attack us if Zoe is around," Sai agreed. "She seems quite protective of the team."

"What are you going to do with that thing when we go home?" Sakura asked him.

"I'm sure I can find some place to keep her," Sai said.  "I might need a bigger house..."

The doorbell rang right then.

They jumped. They hadn't even noticed there was a door bell.

"I got it," Camie said.

She scrambled to the door, beating Temari there by seconds.

"I think I should--" Temari began, but Camie opened it before she could finish.

Mabui didn't think she would do it so fast, and she jumped back.

Karin and Omoi peered over her head--they were both taller than her.

[Mabui is very short, even by the ninja's standards, according to the wiki.]

"Hi, guys." Camie waved, before Temari could do anything. "S'up? Hanging loose?"

"What?" Karui said blankly.

"I'm just here to--" Mabui began, but Camie went on before she finished.

"Yeah, yeah, you're gonna inspect. We're all just gonna eat. My boyfriend is cooking up something in the kitchen. So it'll be bomb. Come on in."

"What did she say?" Omoi asked. "He's going to bomb the kitchen?"

"I think she just meant it would be good..." Karui said nervously.

"Oh, if you're busy, I can--" Mabui was about to say she didn't really need to stay very long, but Camie just took her hand and then turned before she could speak, yet again. "Hey., Temari, get out of the way. Come on, make some room."

"Wow, Camie, thanks for just inviting them in without asking us first," Temari said. "Smart move."

"I know, wasn't it??" Camie said, without any sign that she'd understood the sarcasm.

"That girl is a few clouds short of a rainstorm," Omoi said.

"Well, she could still be dangerous, so watch her," Karui said.

"No problem, she's pretty cute," Omoi said. "But who are you going to watch?"

"Oh, shut up," Karui growled.

They all filed in anyway.

They turned towards the dining room. Most of the students were up already. Wally wasn't yet though.

Bakugo was choosing people to help him with breakfast.

"New kid--" He pointed at Eichi. "--time to induct you in the art of meal preparation. Don't freaking slack off. Cotton Candy Chick, you need to improve your skills."

"Excuse me?" Sakura said.

"You should be aware of how bad your cooking is," Camie said.

"Hey!" Sakura said. "It's not bad!"

"Your food pills are pretty bad," Sai said, without a filter, naturally.

"They were full of nutrients!" Sakura said.

"Everyone knows healthy food tastes worse anyway," Camie said.

"It does not," Momo began. "Healthy food is very important to proper fighting prowess maintenance. A lot of heroes make breakfasts--"

"Yao-Momo, it's too early for this," Camie yawned. "I need coffee."

"Look who's here," Temari announced.

Everyone looked up at the Cloud shinobi.

"Why are there so many of you?" Naruto asked bluntly.

"Because--" Karui frowned. "--we don't trust you."

"Isn't any woman in this culture subtle?" Dabi asked. "Other than Hinata, anyway."

Hinata flushed.

"Less subtle, more shy..." Hanabi muttered.

"I'm subtle," Tenten said.

"No, you're not," Kankuro said. "But it's overrated. Subtle is another word for misleading."

"Is it really?" Gaara said. "I feel like there's a fine line between the two. I'm sorry to hear the Cloud still doesn't trust us after 24 hours to think about it."

"That was a joke, right?" Temari asked him, crossing her arms behind the Cloud.

"I think so," Gaara said. "I'm not very good at jokes. But I've been told I need to 'lighten up' more often."

"It was decent," Suigetsu said. "But, not as funny as mine."

"You aren't funny," Jugo and Karin both said.

"Oh, come on, you guys, cut me a break," Suigetsu said. "I'm still sore all over from yesterday. I think I got beaten to a pulp or something by an angry octopus bull."

"You got what you deserve--" Karui began, and Shine stood up, towering over her.

And then her eyes flashed gold.

Karui jumped a little.

"If you're just going to insult us while you're here, you can leave," Shine said. "Mabui is assigned to us, but you're not, as I understand it. If you want to start a fight, do it on your own time. Or shall I ask Lord Ay why you're here asking for trouble after we agreed that everyone who did this would be held responsible for it?"

Karui swallowed.

"Wow...scary," Omoi said. "Could you do that eye flash thing yesterday too?"

"Did I?" Shine put a hand to her eyes. "Oops. Now they'll think I have magic too."

"Don't invite bad luck," Temari said. 

"Did I overdo it?" Shine asked.

"No, I think that did it about right," Shoto said. "She shouldn't be here if she's not willing to be respectful." With a cold look at Karui.

She shivered a little.

"So is that hair natural?" was Omoi's way to cut the tension. "Or dyed?"

"Natural," Shoto said. "Why?"

"Weird," Omoi said. "It just looks so evenly split, it can't be real... Say, are you two toned all over?"

"What do you mean?" Shoto asked.

"I think he's asking if the carpet matches the drapes," Dabi said.

"I don't have a carpet." Shoto didn't know that slang.

"Yes, why would he have a carpet? This isn't his house," Sai said. "And he doesn't have drapes either...unless they were in his room."

"Omoi! You can't just ask someone that," Karui snapped at him.

"Well, you weren't supposed to just start in insulting people, so here we both are," Omoi said.

"Both of you can just leave," Mabui said. "I think you've made your point."

"Oh, there's no need for that." Wally came in right then, but he must have heard part of it...or he'd been there the whole time and moved too fast for them to notice him. "I think they're just nervous, right? But there's no need to be like that. You kids can join us if you want. And you too...miss... Hey, do you have a last name?"

Mabui raised an eyebrow. "Tsukura," she said.

"Wait, she didn't have a last name--" Camie began, and Momo shushed her.

But this was interesting, the heroes all thought. No records had given Mabui a last name...so it proved that there were things about her they didn't know about just based on their source material...

Mabui couldn't figure out why they were looking at her like this was such a strange thing to say.

"It's a family name," she said. "We don't go by those in Cloud, but we belong to clans."

"Yes, it's too formal to go by it," Omoi said. 

"What does it mean?" Shine asked Momo in a low voice.

"It's a bit of a variation of it, but I think the root word means 'creation'," Momo said. "More the mental creative kind, perhaps, than physical...but that's just a rough translation. It could also mean 'moon', but by the way she said it, I think it is the first one."

[Most sources said it meant either "moon" or "creation," or "to create something new by thinking to oneself". Or perhaps "good, excellent, loving, gentle". I can't be positive which is correct or if they all are.]

"Creation like your quirk?" Shine asked.

"No, I don't think so," Momo said. [The word used for Momo's is different. I don't know what the nuances of it are, since I can't speak Japanese. Le sigh.]

"That's a cool clan name, though," Camie said. "Are you guys, like, artists?"

"Oh, well not exactly," Mabui said, uncomfortable for some reason. 

"What they are is--" Omoi began, and Karui kicked him before he finished.

For once he actually shut up because of it.

"Your training starts now." Bakugo was still arguing with Sakura. "Didn't you say--"

"I didn't mean for this," Sakura said. "What about getting stronger?"

"This is getting stronger, you idiot," Bakugo said. "If you can't follow the simplest d--- instructions, no wonder you'd so gosh danged weak."

Sakura pressed her lips together in rage, but finally she said, "Okay, fine...you think you're so good at this? Go ahead. Teach me...if you can."

She stalked into the kitchen, and they heard her slam something.

"I did not think that would work," Dabi said.

"Mmm, pay up," Choji said to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru tossed him a coin. 

"You're betting on this?" Momo said, horrified. "Sakura getting angry?"

"Oh, no, we were betting on whether Bakugo would get her to do it just by provoking her," Shikamaru said. "See, if we can't get you all to shut up, Choji and I figured we might as well make it interesting. A couple more wins and lunch is on me...for my team, not all of you."

"But all of us are your team," Tenten said.

"Can you please try to behave a little more while the Cloud are here?" Momo leaned closer to whisper. "We want them to think we're not crazy."

"What's crazy about it?" Choji shrugged. "I get free lunch."

"Not free if you lost a bet for it," Tenten said.

"Shh," Shikamaru said. "Just let them think it's free, Tenten."

Shine poured herself coffee. "Sasuke, get in here," she said loudly.

Sasuke appeared so quickly from the side door that they wondered how long he'd just been watching them.

"Is that everyone?" Shine started to do a head count. "Let's see...we're down Lee, so...I think that's it. Wow, there's so many of us now, even I can hardly remember."

"Wait, how many?" Camie held up her hands. "There's us--that's 7--and there's Sandboi, Fan Girl, and Puppet Master. That's 10... And then Team 10 out of 10 is 13, and if we count Team 7 Up without Sasuke, it's 16... Is that even half of us?"

"Sure it is," Tenten said. "And then there's Team Taka--I mean...whatever they are now."

"Shark Boy, Lava Girl, and Android 16," Camie said. "That's what I want to call you guys."

"What happened to Hot Pocket?" Suigetsu asked.

"Lava girl is better than Hot Pocket," Ino said. "Isn't it?"

"I don't like either of them," Karin said.

"Did she call us Team 7 Up?" Naruto asked.

"It's a soda pop where we live," Shine said. "Not bad, better than coke."

"So with you that's...19." Camie was counting on her fingers now. "And then there's Hair Buns/Weapons Chick and Cactus Boy. And then Mini Hyuga, Daytime Girl, and Eichi doesn't have a nickname yet... Is that it?"

"I count 25," Ino said. 

"Girl, I was gonna get there!" Camie said. "I can count. Why did you have to ruin it?"

"Sorry...I was just commenting on it," Ino said.

"Wait, Zoe makes it 26," Sai said.

"You can't count the bird," Sakura called from the kitchen.

"I can so count the bird," Sai said. "She's intelligent, and she's loyal."

"So two things Sakura is not," Dabi said.

"Dabi, I swear, I will kill you with a spatula." Sakura looked out of the kitchen. 

"Hey!" Bakugo snatched the spatula out of her hands. "That's not something that beginners get to do. Knives are for rookies, spatulas are for masters. Get back to flipping those eggs."

"I know how to make eggs," Sakura said. "This is stupid."

"If you do, then why are you gonna let 'em burn?" Bakugo replied.

Sakura glared at him and then thrust herself back into the kitchen.

"That was a little too far," Shoto said ot Dabi.

"Well, maybe, but, it was fun to see her react that way," Dabi said. "She just needs one of those cheesy aprons to complete the picture."

"Like 'kiss the chef'?" Camie asked.

"It's Sakura, so no," Dabi said. "How about 'don't anger the chef'?"

"That's just common sense," Shikamaru said. "Never make the person who makes your food angry."

"Why is she so mad about cooking?" Karui asked, surprisingly.

"Oh, not that." Camie sat on the edge of the table, to Momo's horror. "Bakugo's putting her on this new trading regiment to beat the wussiness out of her. Or to teach her how to not fail at life. Or maybe just how to kick people's rear ends--I don't know. But it's really making her angrier than usual."

"I thought that was a joke." Sasuke looked up. "Why is she doing it?"

"Bakugo is the best at what he does," Shoto said. "Whatever that is... I suppose she saw an opportunity to improve."

"He does win a lot," Momo said. "I've never beaten him in a fight. Not that we've gone up against each other a lot in training. I could beat him if I used underhanded tactics, but anything that's fair game, Bakugo could easily win against almost anyone but Shoto in our class."

Shoto smiled. "Well, we still really don't know, but I'm not anxious for a rematch. I'm afraid that he'll be insufferable no matter who wins, so it's better if it's a mystery."

"Which is the same reason I have never fought him," Shine said. "Bakugo can't let a loss go, and  I don't need that stress... Really, you Cloud don't have to stand there the whole time. You can sit down."

"Oh, thanks." Omoi sat down.

The two women did not.

"But what does cooking have to do with training?" Karui pressed.

"Yes, what does it have to do with training?" Sasuke asked.

"I feel like that's a very important part of training," Choji said. "A good cook is invaluable to ninja."

"What if you have to cook on the road?" Hinata suggested.

"Yeah, and Hinata's cooking is really good," Naruto said, "even on the road, so that's helpful, right? I told her, she'd make a great wife to someone."

Hinata turned red.

"Funny you should say that," Camie said.

"Can you get off the table?" Temari pulled her off by her shoulder.

"Ow," Camie said. "Sheesh, could've just asked."

"Were you born in a barn?" Karui asked her.

"Uh...no, I was born in a hospital," Camie said. "Were you born in a barn? Are you, like, baby Jesus?"

"What?" Karui said.

"Oh, gosh." Shine started to laugh. "I never thought of it that way. I can see someone asking Jesus that, though, and him saying, 'It doesn't matter where you were born, but where you go after you die...' but is that disrespectful? I don't know."

"I think it's okay," Wally said. "He said stuff like that, right? My mom used to ask me if I was born in a barn...and I would answer her, 'You'd know better than I, Mom.' And then I got in trouble for being a smart aleck."

"Why is it so bad to be born in a barn?" Shoto asked.

"It's saying you're acting like an animal," Momo said.

"Technically, humans are animals," Shoto said.

"Not really," Shine said. "Not biblically, though we do breathe like they do...but bugs aren't like animals. Did you know that?"

"Speaking of bugs," Hanabi said, turning to Mabui, "you're supposed to be smart, right? Do you know what those big red beetles are called?"

"The technical term, no, but I know that they're venomous," Mabui said. "Did you see one?"

"It's venomous?" Hinata paled. "Yeah...in our room."

"What?" Karui looked around. "Not this room, right?"

Omoi sat up straighter. "I hate those things."

"They tend to move into space that hasn't been used for a while," Mabui said. "The inspection must have missed it somehow. They pinch. However, it's slow acting. If you get bitten, go to the hospital right away, and they should be able to counter it. Unless you have an allergy..."

"We wouldn't know if we did," Hinata said. "We don't have beetles like that in Leaf...but Shino might have known that already."

"Is there a way to get rid of them safely?" Shine asked calmly.

"They don't live in swarms," Mabui said. "So there shouldn't be that many of them. If you're fast enough to kill them, that's really the best way. Pesticide can be dangerous to use inside a house because--"

"Because it can linger in the air and cause respiratory problems," Momo finished. "Not to mention it's not good for your skin either. My mother never let us use it in the house. But we had tightly sealed windows and doors so insects couldn't get in."

The Cloud blinked at her.

"Yes..." Mabui said slowly. "Also if there's any holes in the wall. They come in to avoid the heat."

"I have the same problem with house flies," Shine said. "Ugh, and I thought black widows were bad."

"What you got against widows?" Omoi asked.

"It's a spider," Wally said. "A big, creepy-looking one. Or a Marvel character, take your pick."

"Americans always act like that one spider you have is so bad," Dabi said. "Do you know how many venomous bugs there are in the east side of the world?"

"I try not to think about it," Shine said. "The school has woods right on the grounds. I don't like to go in there alone."

"Nah, but Australia has it worse," Camie said. "Everything there can kill you."

"That makes it awesome," Bakugo said. "I should move there."

"We're going long distance if you do that," Camie sniffed.

"Where's...Australia?" Karui asked.

"Oh, very far from here," Shine said dryly. "Nowhere you'd have heard of."

"That's not saying much for Cloud Village," Dabi pointed out.

"Dabi, can you be at all cool this morning?" Wally asked, pouring himself his 3rd cup of coffee.

Karui had watched him drink it at high speed, and her astonishment was clearly growing.

"Other than the pest control, did you have anything else come up since yesterday?" Mabui tried to get back on track.

"I can't think of anything," Shine said. "Except that we're still not sure where to put our bird."

"Your bird?" Mabui said.

They all looked at her, and then Suigetsu said slyly, "Yeah, Sai's pet."

"Do you mean that monster?" Karui said. "You can put it outside the Village."

"She'll get lonely out there," Sai argued. "I don't want to do that. And what if someone was to hurt her?"

"You think something's going to hurt her?" Omoi said. "Please, I think we should be worried about it... Where is it now?"

"What bird?" Mabui repeated her question.

"Just show her," Wally said. "The outside door is right there."

"I suppose," Sai said.

"Don't go out there," Karui warned Mabui. "It's a trap. That thing is a killer."

"She's not a killer," Sai said. "She didn't put a scratch on you."

"Karui, I think you're being overdramatic," Mabui said. "It's a bird, not a lion."

"Well, you may not be able to tell the difference," Omoi said.

Funny that he didn't tell Mabui the bird was the size of a horse.

Karui didn't think to say that part more than she chose not to, but Omoi was calm enough for it to be on purpose.

Sai opened the door, and Mabui went out.

She expected the bird to be a falcon of some kind and, she was wondering where they would put it when there wasn't a falcon cage on this property that she knew of.

It was pretty mean for none of them to warn her before Zoe saw and she hopped from the roof down onto one of the rocks.

Mabui stared at her in shock--and probably in terror.

Zoe eyed her like she wasn't sure whether to attack or not and then ruffled her feathers like a shrug and started picking at the ground.

Suddenly, she spied one of the beetles that the girls had mentioned and plucked it off the wall of the house.

"I suppose that would take care of our pest problem..." Sai mused.

Zoe didn't seem to care that the beetle was venomous...but she was too big for it to do much to her.

Mabui finally swallowed. "This is your pet?"

"Companion," Sai said. "She's new."

Shine had followed them out. "You guys are mean."

"You didn't say anything either," Wally called.

"This is my fault." Shine patted Zoe's feathers. "I kind of accidentally made her appear. But Sai is attached to her, and she's a good guard...bird, I guess. We're still not sure what species she is."

Mabui just put her hand to her eyes. "Is there anything else you didn't tell me?"

"A lot," Shine said. "But if you mean animals-wise, then no."