The Way Through Stone Village (Naruto)

65: Excursions and Explanations

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

Day 52:

"Any word from Sand yet?" Sai asked the Sand siblings the next day.

"It's been one day," Temari said. "I'm not sure even a 'no way' would be that fast...but we really need them to work quick, at the same time...I wish this blasted rain would stop."

"It stopped yesterday," Momo said.

"And according to them, that's more often than it's ever stopped before," Ino pointed out.

"Yeah but..." Temari sighed. "Rain makes me feel tired."

"You can feel tired?" Shikamaru looked up.

Temari made a face at him, but she wasn't really that annoyed.

"I'm so sick of travel food," Hanabi complained, shoving away her breakfast.

"And we're running out of it," Hinata said, worried. "Rain Village has so little to begin with, I hate to take more...they have fish..."

"Fish are fine with me," Wally said. "And it's better than nothing."

"Aren't there any other Villages around here?" Shine asked. "Ones that would have more supplies?"

"Actually...that's not a bad thought," Temera pulled out their well worn map. "Let's see...well there's a few, but they're small enough...I'm sure of this many people...and do we even have enough funds to buy in bulk?"

"You know, a good way to start things up here would be to start with the villages actually close to this one," Shine said. "And since we're waiting on Sand to do the paperwork, why not do what the boys at home all 'side quests' and see if the locals will get on board. The word they can say is no, right?"

"The worst they can say is we're witches and throw stones at us," Suigetsu said.

People glared a thim.

"Well, then I've already been through it," Shine laughed it off surprisingly easily. "So nothing to fear."

"It's not an unwise idea to try to get moving on something else while we wait," Gaara said.

"At least we could get out of the rain," Camie said.

"Take some of the Rain with you," Shine suggested. "They'll have to learn how to do this themselves, and you can show them."

"And what about you?" Gaara asked. "You're the most civil out of all of us."

"Well, I wouldn't want to make it too easy for you then," Shine said. "And someone has to stay here and watch Sasuke."

"Can't Sakura?" Camie asked. She'd rather Shine go with them if there was going to be sweet talking involved.

Sakura looked up. "So what? I'm just a nursemaid? You don't think I can handle this?"

"Well, diplomacy is not exactly your middle name," Dabi said.

Shine got that gleam in her eye.

"I see no reason why Sakura can't do this," she said. "After all, she's a full member of the team now, just like everyone else here is except for Lee."

Rock Lee had been doing nothing but working out the last few days since he had no ability in politics or nursing. And he was only too happy to have an excuse to leave the village.

Not that the others thought he'd be much help. Tact was not his strong point.

Sakura hoped Shine wasn't about to put her on a team with Lee--or Dabi.