Aisa Mori did not hide her contempt and humiliated fury the next day. As the troupe trudged across the sands, Kakashi and Shikamaru kept well away from her. Sasuke, still in point, was sulking more than usual for the tongue-lashing he received that morning from Kakashi. Sakura was angry at Kakashi for putting Sasuke down, and annoyed that Sasuke had slipped up on his perfection, and very irritated at Naruto's fawning over Aisa who treated him like dirt.

So, in a simple phrase, no one was a happy camper that day.

Privately Kakashi was glad. It meant less distraction and, with the pervasive foul mood, none of the leading ladies would attempt anything. He hoped.

By now the original three caravans had expanded to five. Three carried passengers – the actresses, their makeup and hair stylists, the manager who does very little beyond organizing press conferences, and the shinobi. One carried clothes and accessories (this was Sakura's personal favorite) and one carried the assorted gifts and stores the convoy needed. It was already the third week and they still had some distance to go before reaching their next destination. Having switched their horses to camels was helping a little, but the pace was a lot slower than Kakashi had budgeted for. Shikamaru was grumbling about the lack of shelter and of clouds. Which kind of made sense, since he was a shadow user, but kakashi's nerves were wearing very thin. He hoped he could get in a phone call again that evening.

Before they made it to the next oasis or town, the lead caravan drivers called out a sandstorm warning. The yellow-golden haze far off was moving swiftly nearer. Everyone leaped into their nearest caravan. By a stroke of luck (good or bad?) Kakashi was alone in the same one as Toshi.

"You seem troubled."

Kakashi snorted. "Are you going to start every conversation between us with a comment on my emotional state?"

"Very likely." She smiled apologetically at the ninja. "I heard about Aisa last night."

"Hmm." Noncommittal, neutral response, that's the key.

"She warned us to stay away. I gather it turned out badly," continued the blind woman as the camels and the camel drivers stopped the rolling of the caravans. Kakashi could hear, above the approaching roar, the camels settling down to face the hazard.

"Aisa has always been headstrong," Toshi remarked into the cushioned silence of the caravan. Kakashi grunted. She smiled wryly, "Very few men have rejected her, you know."

"No, I don't. And why is everyone making a play for me? Besides you, thus far."

Toshi laughed lightly. "How crudely you put it! Kakashi-san, you're the only adult male here that's vaguely attractive. There's something about magic that you don't know."

"Enlighten me then. We've got all day."

"Magic is similar to channeling a stream, a river of power. Once we start accessing that river, the channel doesn't close completely. When we use it, the power flows through us – we're just conduits."

"Not seeing the relevance to my predicament."

"I'm getting to the point. We have to keep using magic, Kakashi-san, because of who we are. It's not like jutsus, which we can choose not to use. We have to keep being conduits or else the power becomes - dammed up – if that's the proper phrasing. And it makes us irritable, vulnerable and incredibly sensitive to external stimuli.

"During filming none of us had much of a problem, since we were expending almost too much magic daily with the special effects and all. But now, on the road, in public – we can't really afford to risk using magic where unfriendly eyes may see."

"You seem to cope fine," said Kakashi.

Toshi laughed again. "I use magic non-stop, Kakashi-san. How else did you think I can move about without assistance? Some people use sticks, some use echoes, I use magic. I have an outlet – a small, continuous outlet – that the other girls don't. The magic makes them horny because the power needs someway to escape, Kakashi-san. You just happen to be a potential recipient of power."

Kakashi did not move. After a moment he smiled beneath his mask. "The sandstorm's abating. We're on the move."

It was nearing midnight when they pulled into the first Suna village of the tour. Shikamaru, notwithstanding his fatigue, stood watch. He wasn't surprised when Kakashi joined him.

"News?"

"Same old."

"Odd, that. Did anyone – you know – in the last few stops?"

Kakashi paused. "That's something we didn't consider. After Konohagakure, it appears that the stalker, whoever he or she was, stopped."

"Iruka said as much in the last letter. He's circling around to our last stop to wait for us there." Shikamaru wrapped the cloak tighter about himself. Was this the desert night? No wonder she was snappish all the time – Konoha must have felt like a sauna to her.

Kakashi lounged against the wall. It was a pose that Sasuke had unknowingly picked up, he realized, and grinned. The boy was really far too similar to himself.

The two stood watch until Naruto and Sakura took over two hours later.

"Thanks, Aisa. They really fell for it."

"Don't mention it. Really. Although, why am I always the one to humiliate myself?"

"Because you're the only one who won't stay angry. Now go to sleep."