The Way Into Mist Village (Naruto)

6: Sadness

[OP: "Eat You Alive"--The Oh Hellos]

Ino hadn't gone far; she'd just gone to a different hall and thrown up.

"Are you okay?" Momo asked.

"No," Ino said, hand over her mouth. "This is so embarrassing. I'm a medical shinobi."

"I don't think that's what's bothering you," Momo said. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I would feel the same way if I found someone's name I knew in the hands of such a monster. Really...it's like when Bakugo got kidnapped, almost. Let's just go outside, okay? It's dark in here, and the smell isn't making it any better."

"No, I can do this." Ino straightened. "I have to be stronger than that."

Sai had his pen ready, as if he wasn't sure what to do here except maybe draw something.

Momo pursed her lips. "But I'm not feeling so well," she said, with a weak smile. "I think I might faint... All this...death. Only I don't know if I can find my way back out. Can you walk me out at least?"

"I can make a drawing," Sai offered, not getting the point.

"Thank you, but...uh, I might just fall off it." Momo thought of an excuse quickly.

Ino peered at her quickly, then she said, "I guess I should..."

"Thank you," Momo said.

They started walking out.

On the way they nearly collided with Camie and Bakugo and Temari and Shikamaru.

"What are you guys doing?" Temari asked.

"I...uh, need some air," Momo said. "The smell, you know. Wally said to go outside. What are you doing?"

"Shine's making us go out because she said we're getting too keyed up," Camie pouted. "I mean, you guys were getting a little heated back there."

"I don't know why I said that," Temari said. "I guess it just seemed too close."

They headed outside.

The clear air did help.

Tenten and Kankuro were waiting, pretty bored.

"Finally," Tenten said. "What did you find?"

"Plenty of disturbing things," Momo said, sitting down on a rock. "They're still finishing up with it."

Ino leaned on the wall.

"I don't know why I went off like that," Shikamaru remarked. "I don't normally do that. I suppose we've never seen what Sasuke really did. None of us got that close to it. Except maybe Naruto. Likstar-san, she's so calm."

"She's like that all the time," Camie said. "It's freaky, isn't it? You could tell her someone was going to blow up the moon and she'd be calm."

"She's seen some s---," Bakugo said. "West too. That's why they're like that. Nothing can get you if you've seen it go to the pits that many times. You idiots are all green."

"You got sent out too," Temari said. "Don't act like you didn't start up with it. D---...I hate to say this, but including Sasuke in this team is starting to seem like a bad idea. None of you can get along with him, and now this is just making me feel like some kind of accomplice. I'm not sure an apology can fix this kind of thing."

She glared at the hideout.

"I'm sure that's not all there is to it," Momo said, somberly. "We have to trust that, in time, real change will happen, if it's possible. What did Sasuke do when you reacted?"