A New Way of Ninja

Part 2--The War--Chapter 22: Return to Ninja

It wasn't until the very 21st day of that period that Temari's letter finally mentioned the thing that Wally and Camie had told them about: the War.

Temari wrote:

"There is far too much to explain in a letter," she said, "but Gaara has managed to unite the nations. I would have told you this sooner but have hardly had time to sleep or eat, let alone write. Every time I sat down to write this someone interrupted me--but I have decided to do it even though we're having serious problems here. We've been fighting the enemy forces all day, and their attacks are starting to get worse. It's starting to look like we may lose because we do not have the manpower to handle them all. They're using some kind of clones to make us unable to tell friend from foe, and only the sensory ninja can tell the difference, and they're spread too thin and have taken a lot of hits as it is.

"I know I've asked you to come back before, and I don't like to beg, but you seem good at tracking people, and I thought there might be a way you could help us. With your speed and range, you could clear this camp single handedly, I suspect.

"It has been 3 years. If not for those letters, I would have thought you'd forgotten about us entirely, but if you've been going on your own missions, don't you think you can spare some time for Gaara? He's never given up on your return, and he says that he wants us to have something to show for our work when you do... I think he's done enough."

Momo read this aloud to them.

"She sounds pretty desperate," Shoto said.

"I've never heard her talk like this," Momo said. "They must truly be exhausted."

Shine and Wally looked at each other.

"Well, nothing's going on today," Wally said. "I think it's the first day all week none of you have had to do anything else--or me or Shine."

"And Aizawa has Eri today because it's the weekend," Shine said. "So...it's lined up. Let's ask."

She pointed to the ceiling.

They all listened.

"I think the answer is 'go,'" Wally said. "And even better, I think I have the green light to tag along with you this time."

"I thought that too." Shine beamed. "Which is great, because you would be far more help than I would if they're fighting an army."

"Hmm...what about Bakugo?" Momo asked.

Bakugo came sliding into the room right then.

"What is up?" he asked them. "Something from that world you went to, right?"

"How did you know?" Shoto asked.

"I just did," Bakugo said.

"I think that's all the sign I need," Shine said. "But I've already been asking about that, and I think Bakugo and Camie are both supposed to go with us."

"I'll call Camie right now," Wally said.

"I'll send Dabi a note and make sure he's in a good spot to be moved," Shine said.

"How does he do that in his tiny apartment?" Momo asked.

"Oh, simple, he goes in the bathroom. It's illegal to tape people in the bathroom," Shine said. "Since the portals are silent, they think he has LED Lights in there or something...and he's not gone in your time for that long, you know."

"That's actually pretty clever," Shoto said.

He did not say that this indicated that he and Dabi were being allowed to go. He didn't want to kick a gift horse in the mouth.