The Way Into Mist Village (Naruto)

16: Celebration and Counsel

That afternoon everyone regrouped at the makeshift hotel.

Most of them had very little to report.

But Gaara's announcement of how it had gone with Mei-sama made them all astonished.

"It seriously worked?" Bakugo said.

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence there," Temari said, smiling. "Though honestly, I didn't think it would either."

"Well, you see?" Shine said. "Turns out we were worried for nothing."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Kankuro said. "She still wants to learn more. She may not like all of it."

"No one likes all of it," Wally said, between eating a banana. Somehow Mist Village had those. "That's how you know it's true."

"I'd be happy to talk to her," Shine said. "Sounds like an opening."

"You did well, it sounds like," Shoto said to Momo.

She blushed. "I hardly said anything."

"Momo-senpai was quite helpful," Gaara said.

"Senpai?" Camie giggled. "Oh gosh, you're so legit now."

"But it does fit," Shoto pointed out. "We are kind of their student mentors."

"Does that mean we get to call them kouhais?" Dabi said.

"No," Shikamaru said. 

"So much for your cynicism," Temari addressed him. "Mei was very open minded."

"I'm glad to hear it," Shikamaru said. "I was never against you guys. I just didn't think it was likely."

"Actually she made some good points," Gaara said, "about how there's no way to remove the stain of bloodshed from the land, not by doing the same thing as before. I knew she thought this, but she put it into more perspective. I see now how blessed we were, to have a blueprint of sorts for change. The Mist must be lost with only good intentions to guide them."

"What's wrong with good intentions?" Sakura asked.

"You ever hear the saying 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions'?" Wally asked her.

"No," she said.

"Well, there you go," Wally shrugged.

"But you really think you have the answer for their problem?" Sakura said in disbelief. "Isn't that a little presumptuous? That you can handle everyone's problem with the same method?"

"There's room for personalization of it," Shine said. "But truth is truth, Sakura. It doesn't matter who says or who does it. If anyone else was giving it out, then they wouldn't need us. But why would we be here then?"

"Why are you here?" Sakura pressed.

"What's got you in such a mood?" Dabi asked lazily. "We call this good news around here. Don't be a buzzkill."

Sakura frowned at him.

"I think we should celebrate," Shine agreed. "How about some music?"

"Ooh, can we actually use instruments this time?" Camie asked.

"Camie, you don't play an instrument," Momo said.

"Girl, I play the tambourine with a passion," Camie protested.

"How about it?" Shine asked Momo and Bakugo. "Want to show the ninja how we jam?"

"Why would I want to show off to a bunch of extras who won't appreciate it?" Bakugo asked.