"Who would have thought that our next mission would have been this?" Sena smiled faintly and looked around at the tall dunes of the desert around her, nudging Natsumi's side. "It's not often that Leaf Shinobi get to come to the Land of Wind, even with our alliance."

"Not that there's really much here." Aito groaned, lifting his shades slightly to frown at the sand. "It's just one, huge, sandy wasteland. Oh, and it's full of quicksand, pitfalls, and giant insects that are completely dangerous. Don't get me started on the sandstorms, either. And, did I mention all of the sand?!"

He scratched his hair and clothes beneath his cloak furiously, then shook his head quickly. "Ugh! It's so annoying! It gets everywhere and always takes weeks to get off!"

Sena and Natsumi shared a look, then laughed.

"If you hated the desert so much, you didn't have to volunteer to come with us, ya know." Natsumi crossed her arms as a breeze blew sand into her face and knocked back her hood. "We could have gotten someone else as our third."

"Ugh." AIto sighed heavily, slouching forward as he trudged along. "I wish. But, even if I hadn't volunteered, the Captain probably would have assigned me anyway. She's still pissy about my performance on my last mission."

"Plus, out of everyone else on our team, he's the one who's been here the most." Sena whispered and held back a laugh. "So, he didn't have much of a choice anyway."

"Why does it always have to be me that comes to this hellhole?" Aito pouted and whined. "I'm not cut out for this environment. It dries my skin out."

"Now you sound like Ahmya." Natsumi laughed and took a sip of water. "You know, you never did tell us exactly what happened on your last mission. Why is the Captain so mad at you?"

Aito straightened and blinked, laughing sheepishly as he rubbed his head. "A-Ah... well... you know..."

"Nooo, we don't." Sena smiled and tilted her head. "That's why we're asking."

Aito laughed again, trailing off before his head hung in defeat. "...Fine. I'll tell you." He looked between the girls and pointed to them. "But this will not get repeated to anyone else, got it? She promised to skin me alive, turn my body inside-out, burn it, and then seal my soul inside of a used feminine hygiene product if anyone found out."

Natsumi snorted and covered her mouth. "That's... harsh."

"I swear to secrecy." Sena giggled and covered her own mouth. "I swear on my garden."

They looked at her, and she blinked and held her up hands to shrug.

"What? My garden is the thing I value the most, really."

"Weirdo." Aito smiled faintly, then let out a breath. "Okay, here goes..."

He kept his lips shut tight for a while as he walked, then blurted. "I said that we were a married couple when we were undercover!"

Natsumi and Sena blinked, then laughed.

"Really? That's what made her so mad?" Natsumi laughed and clutched her stomach.

"Actually, that's not too surprising." Sena cleared her throat and stifled a laugh with a cough. "She doesn't even treat her own husband warmly, and we've all seen how she treats her son."

Aito crossed his arms and made a face. "...You don't get it. We were almost found out, because they didn't believe that a real wife would act so coldly... I... I had no choice but to make it look convincing."

The girls stopped, and turned to him slowly.

"Aito... what did you do?" Sena asked quietly.

He covered his face and turned away. "I... don't wanna say."

"Nope. Too late." Natsumi leaned closer. "Spill."

He muttered under his breath, and Natsumi frowned.

"Sorry. We didn't get that."

He muttered again, and Sena sighed.

"You'll have to speak up a little bit more."

"I groped her ass, okay?!" He covered his mouth again, his face red.

The girls froze in place.

"You... didn't." Sena stared at him.

"I... did." He dragged his palms down his face. "And, that's not all."

Natsumi opened her mouth, shut it, and then cleared her throat. "...It couldn't possibly be any worse, could it?"

"I... also called her 'pumpkin."

"That's not that—"

He held up his hand, cutting Natsumi off.

"And then I..." He swallowed and lowered his arm. "I... might have said that she was PMSing and being irritable and over-emotional."

"Aito!" Sena covered her mouth, paling slightly before she laughed. "You never say that to or about a woman! Especially if it's true!"

"I know!" He clutched his head. "I know! I made that mistake with my sister once! But I didn't see any other choice at the time!"

"Well... did it work?" Natsumi replaced her hood and turned her face away from the wind. "Was your cover saved?"

"Yes." Aito crossed his arms. "They saw her genuine fury as she slapped me probably twenty meters, and determined that we really must be married. The rest of the mission went great, and we got all the intel we needed. Plus, a little more, because the guys we were spying on took me drinking and spilled a bunch about their own marriages. They even got drunk enough to reveal secrets that we hadn't even been assigned to collect."

"No wonder she's been in such a bad mood since, though." Sena nodded to herself. "I thought the mission might have had a hiccup or that you hadn't gotten all the information you needed, but that definitely explains it."

Natsumi patted his arm. "Don't worry... your secret's safe with us. She'll get over it... Maybe." She paused. "Actually, she probably won't, and there will probably be a target on your back for as long as she's Captain of Team Yoru."

"Yup. I know." Aito groaned louder and itched his head, sand falling in clumps out of his hair. "This is just the beginning of my punishment..."

"Not to complain..." Natsumi looked over at Sena. "But, how much longer until we get there? I'm almost out of water, and I think my feet are burning from this sand, even through my shoes."

"Soon." Aito answered, and drank a long gulp of his own water, pouting as the last drops poured into his mouth. "Thankfully."

"Define 'soon.'" Natsumi laughed. "Because when Naruto says 'soon,' he usually means in a few hours. And usually it's about chores."

"About an hour." Sena smiled and pointed at the map, holding it up to show her. "We can make it until then."

"Maybe you can, but I'm still thirsty." Aito put his empty canteen away. "There's got to be a cactus around here somewhere."

"Cactus?" Natsumi blinked. "Why?"

"They're succulents— they store water." He lifted his shades again, squinting as he looked around. "And some are even edible."

"Ahem." Sena frowned slightly. "Cacti don't actually have water in them. It's a substance that's very acidic and high in toxic alkaloids. They don't undergo photosynthesis the same the way regular plants do, so the moisture they accumulate inside of their pulp isn't water that's safe to drink, and it can make you very sick. Especially if you drink it on an empty stomach."

"Pfft." AIto waved his hand. "I've done it before in a pinch. It works fine. Besides, cacti even produce fruit that's edible, too."

Sena rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Well, even if you've done it before, it's really not fine. Cactus contains Malic acid and Oxalic acid, which are both toxic to humans. They bind to the calcium in our bodies, and end up clogging up your kidneys, to summarize. When your kidneys aren't working properly, you start to die. As someone who has studied survival techniques, you should already be aware that it's a myth to get water from cacti."

"Pfft." He waved his hand again. "It'll be fine."

"Hmph." Sena sighed and made a face as she muttered. "Don't say I didn't warn you." She turned to Natsumi. "Cactus fruit is edible, though, and does provide some water through its juice. Ignore this idiot."

Natsumi laughed and nodded. "Okay."

"Found one!" Aito slid down a dune partway, grinning as he stopped beside a short, bulbous cactus with serrated spikes.

"Don't you even thi—" Sena held up a hand, narrowing her eyes and stopping herself as he cut into the plant and began to drink. "What an idiot."

"Come on, guys! It tastes great!" Aito laughed. "Have some!"

"Moron." Sena shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I hope you do get sick! That'll teach you!"

"Party pooper!" Aito plucked a small fruit from the cactus, sniffing it before popping it into his mouth. "Mm... this is good, too!"

"Well, cactus fruit is edible, at least." Sena mumbled, smiling faintly as she looked at Natsumi, then led her over to the plant to pluck a fruit of her own, turning it over as she examined it with a slight frown. "I'm not familiar with this species."

"Is that a bad thing?" Natsumi picked another fruit and looked at it. "It's kind of pretty, actually." She brought the fruit to her lips, and Sena clasped her wrist quickly.

"Wait."

"Huh?" Natsumi lowered her hand and Sena loosened her grip. "I thought you said cactus fruit was edible?"

"They usually are." Sena narrowed her eyes at the small fruit. "But I've also never seen this kind before. Plus, it's always good to check before eating, just to be safe." She paused and rolled the fruit over in her hand, mumbling. "Size of a cherry... brightly colored skin... Skin is perfectly smooth and soft, unlike other types. No rash or irritation from touching the skin..."

Sena took a small knife, cut the fruit in two, and placed the flesh side of one half against her forearm. "No reaction in a patch test, either..."

"So, does that mean it's safe?" Natsumi looked between her friend and the fruit.

"Likely." Sena sniffed at the creamy white interior of the flesh. "Although, there's no way to know if it causes any kind of reaction when eaten, though. Some plants seem harmless like this, but react poorly when combined with stomach acid." She dropped the halves onto the ground. "So, I wouldn't eat it, just in case. There are plenty of well-known cactus species that have edible fruits, and we're close enough to the village that we're not in desperate need of food."

Natsumi nodded, and Aito snatched the fruit from her hand and ate it before she could throw it down.

"Man, you guys are wasting so much food." His words were mangled with his mouth overstuffed.

"Aito!" Sena's mouth opened. "Stop eating it!"

He swallowed and frowned. "What? Why? It tastes almost like a strawberry, but with a grainy texture and an aftertaste that reminds me of pepper. It's great."

He reached for another fruit, and Sena slapped it out of her hands. "I just finished saying that we don't know if it's safe to eat or not. How many did you eat, anyway?"

He scratched his head and laughed. "Uh... I don't know. I wasn't counting."

"Oh my gosh." Sena let out a heavy sigh, closing her eyes as she shook her head. "I really don't know how you've survived all these trips in the desert all this time."

"If you're such an expert on the desert, maybe you should have been the one sent on all those missions here." He chuckled and started to walk away. "Come on; we're getting close. One good sprint and we should make it there."

"Men." Sena rolled her eyes again, smiling faintly at Natsumi. "And Kiri wonders why I've sworn off dating."

Natsumi giggled and nodded, following her as they started to move again. "Guys are trouble, that's for sure."

"Hey! I heard that!"

"Stop." Sand Jonin held up their weapons and stood in front of the trio with a hardened glare. "State your business."

Sena cleared her throat softly, retrieving a letter from her pocket and holding it out to them, then removed her sunglasses to meet the men's eyes directly.

"We're the Leaf Shinobi that Lord Hokage sent to meet with the Kazekage. The meeting was agreed to, and we have proper identification and authorization to enter the village. Please let us pass."

"We'll see about that." One man narrowed his gaze, muttering as he took the letter from her and looked it over. "Hmph."

He passed it over to the other guard, and Natsumi looked up at the tiered wall before them, where other Shinobi glared down at them with their weapons readied.

"Everything checks out." The second man begrudgingly handed back the letter. "We were given your descriptions in preparation for your arrival."

He glanced up at the Shinobi atop the bottom tier, and motioned to them. They leapt down and stood around the group.

"You'll be escorted to Lord Kazekage now. They'll be keeping an eye on you for the duration of your stay, so stick closely by them to avoid getting lost or running into trouble."

They nodded, and Natsumi pressed her lips together tightly as she looked over each of their expressions.

Translation- even though we're allies, here on official business, they don't like us or trust us. So, we have to be babysat.

"Thank you." Sena gave them a friendly smile, and a gruff man gestured to follow him.

"Let's go. Lord Kazekage is expecting you."

"Right to business, then. Lead the way!" Aito grinned, then froze in place and clutched at his stomach as it let out a loud, distressed grumble. He groaned and doubled over, the color draining from his face as he chuckled and held up a finger. "A-Actually... where's the nearest bathroom?"

The men shared a look of disgust and Sena smacked her hand to her forehead. "I told you that eating unknown fruit was a bad idea. But did you listen to me? Of course not."

His stomach gurgled again and he pouted. "Sorry."

"Come with me." One man scowled, gripping Aito's shoulder as he led him away.

"You two, follow me." Another motioned to the girls, who nodded.

"Sorry about this." Natsumi smiled sheepishly. "I hope he doesn't cause you too much inconvenience."

"I told him not to eat it." Sena mumbled to herself and crossed her arms. "This is what he gets for being careless."

"Cactus fruit?" One of their escorts glanced at Natsumi, who nodded. The man looked at the others, nodding slightly. "I see."

Walking through the narrow passage of the northern entrance, Natsumi's eyes widened as the village sprawled out in front of them.

"Wow!" She grinned and looked around. It's so cool!

"All the buildings look so natural, like they formed on their own." Sena smiled. "And, look at how the rock formation makes the perfect barrier around the whole village? It makes such a cute valley."

This is my first time in a new country and a new village. It's completely different, but I like it.

"I can't wait to tell Naruto about this. I got to visit one of the other Shinobi villages before he did. He's going to be so jealous."

"You're not here to sight-see." One of their escorts watched them from the corner of his eye.

"Of course." Sena nodded, walking closely to Natsumi. "Still, it's an honor to even be here. Is it what you imagined it'd be?"

"Hm..." Natsumi looked upward for a moment in thought, then smiled. "Not at all. It's better."

A group of children ran by, chasing after a stray ball, and the girls lifted their hands to smile and wave at them. The children stopped and narrowed their eyes at the strangers, grabbing the ball before running out of sight.

"Huh. Weird." Natsumi lowered her hand and frowned slightly. I guess they're shy and don't like strangers much.

"Oh, look. That's the Kazekage's Administrative Palace." Sena pointed to a large domed building ahead. "It's even bigger than I thought it would be."

"Administrative Palace? That sounds fancy." Natsumi followed where she pointed. "And it's huge."

"I hope Aito is doing alright." Sena sighed quietly as they drew closer to the large structure. "It is his own fault for not listening, but I still feel bad."

"Well, he knows better now." Natsumi held in a small laugh. "At least I hope so."

They followed the Shinobi through the streets quietly, looking around. The people they passed stopped talking amongst themselves as they passed to stare at the girls, then whisper once the pair went by.

I get the feeling that we're not wanted here.

She met Sena's eyes, who nodded slightly.

She senses it, too. This tension in the air...

Natsumi watched the civilians and Shinobi as she passed, recognizing the expression they each shared. Several mothers ushered their children indoors quickly, and a few of the men crossed their arms and met her eyes with a glare.

Every single person so far is the same. We're definitely not wanted here.

She let out a soft breath.

Hopefully the Kazekage is friendlier. I don't want this meeting to go badly.

Facing toward the grand building ahead, a pair of Genin stood partially in the shadow of a smaller building, watching the strangers intently. She met the boy's eyes briefly, then quickly turned away and pressed her lips together.

"Hey, are you okay?" Sena whispered and looked at her. "Your face is all flushed."

"H-Huh?" Natsumi touched her cheek, heat spreading through her face.

I'm... blushing?!

"You didn't eat any of that fruit when I wasn't looking, did you?"

Natsumi shook her head. "N-No. Of course not. I'm fine."

"Okay." Sena smiled faintly. "As a Medical Ninja— and your friend— don't be afraid to speak up if you're not feeling well, okay? It's your first time in this climate, so it's normal to feel overheated or fatigued."

"Really, Sena, I'm okay."

Natsumi lowered her gaze, and her eye darted back to the shadows, where the pair walked out of sight. She shut her eyes tightly for a moment, then forced herself to concentrate on the path ahead.

What's wrong with me? I don't blush... and my heart is beating faster.

Biting her lip, she stuck her hands in her pockets.

Maybe Sena's right, and the heat is affecting me.

"This way."

The man leading their escort opened the door into the Administrative Palace. He led them through the halls, passing more people who eyed them with suspicion, until he finally stopped in front of a door and knocked softly.

"Lord Kazekage, the Leaf Shinobi have arrived."

"Bring them in."

The man narrowed his eyes slightly at the girls, then opened the door and motioned for them to enter. They stepped inside the rounded room and stood before the stern-faced man who sat behind the desk. He stood and met their eyes, and two of the men escorting them stood behind the Kazekage at the back of the room.

"Lord Kazekage." Sena bowed her head slightly, and Natsumi copied her. "Thank you for meeting with us. It's an honor."

"Hmph." He crossed his arms and looked them over. "There was supposed to be a third."

"A-Ah." Sena scratched her cheek nervously. "He um... well, he's not feeling well at the moment."

The man raised a brow, and Natsumi spoke up.

"He ate some unfamiliar cactus fruit just before we arrived." She explained, clasping her hands behind her back. "We apologize for any inconvenience it's caused."

"I see." He looked at one of the men behind the girls, and then back at them. "What is the purpose of this meeting?"

Sena cleared her throat quietly, taking a scroll from her pouch to hold it out for him.

"Lord Third sent us to personally invite the Hidden Sand to the Chunin Exams that will be held in the Hidden Leaf."

"Chunin Exams?" One of their escorts took the scroll, opened it to verify its contents, and then passed it to the auburn-haired man to looked over. "In the past, the invitation was extended through a messenger hawk."

Sena nodded. "Lord Third wished to demonstrate good will and friendship to you to show just how much the Leaf values our alliance. So, he had us deliver the invitation personally."

"You're young to be delivering a simple message through such a dangerous region." He eyes shifted from Sena to linger on Natsumi.

"If I may say so..." Natsumi met his eyes directly. "Isn't it true that, in the Shinobi world, it isn't age that matters— it's skill?"

"Hm. You're confident, at least." He handed the scroll to a subordinate and recrossed his arms. "But do not underestimate the desert. Even the best of our Shinobi have lost their lives to it."

"I didn't mean any disrespect." Natsumi bowed her head slightly and pressed her lips together. "I apologize if it sounded that way."

Crap. I hope I didn't offend him. She looked at her friend from the corner of her eye. I should have kept my mouth shut and let her handle the diplomacy.

After a pause, the Kazekage nodded. "Very well. You may report back to your Hokage that the Hidden Sand will accept his invitation."

Sena smiled. "Of course. I know he'll be pleased to hear that. We'll be sure to have everything ready to welcome you for your arrival."

"Was there anything else?"

Sena shook her head. "No, sir. Nothing except friendly greetings from the Leaf."

"Lord Kazekage. Excuse me." A new man entered the office to stand beside the Kazekage and whisper to him.

"I see." The Kazekage turned his attention to the two Leaf Ninja as the man backed away. "Due to a change in the wind, a large sandstorm is heading this way."

"Oh." Sena paused. "We'll be sure to leave right away then, so we don't get caught up in it."

"Unfortunately, your departure will have to be delayed. The storm has grown larger than we anticipated, and we expect it to last overnight. It will be here very quickly." The assistant turned to the girls, then to the Kage.

"Very well." Rasa let out a short breath. "Prepare some rooms for our guests, then. Make sure they are comfortable."

"That's very generous, Lord Kazekage." Sena smiled faintly. "Thank you."

"If we're finished here, it would be wise for you to go to your rooms before the storm is upon us." He nodded to their escort again, and Sena and Natsumi both bowed their heads.

"Thank you. It was an honor meeting you." Sena straightened.

Well, he didn't seem overflowing with friendliness, either.

Natsumi was ushered out into the hall their escort and stood close to Sena.

"So, now we just sit and wait, I guess?"

She nodded. "I'm sure Aito would appreciate if we checked in on him, too."

"Come on." A man motioned for them to follow. "The quicker we move, the sooner we avoid the storm."

"Right." Natsumi nodded and turned to follow them.

"Um... Excuse me."

They turned toward the new voice to see a girl approach them. She had blue eyes and brown, braided hair and she looked at the two foreigners nervously.

"Um... I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but you said your friend was sick?" She bit her lip nervously and kept her hands in the pockets of her overalls as she spoke. "After eating cactus fruit?"

Sena nodded. "That's right."

Natsumi rubbed her head. "Y-Yeah... he's not going to die from it, is he?"

The girl blinked and quickly shook her head. "Oh, n-no! At least... I don't think so." Her cheeks warmed and she glanced away momentarily. "Well... what did the fruit look like?"

Sena touched her thumb and forefinger together to create a small circle, then held it up. "About this big, with soft, orange skin with yellowy veins and the top of it by the stem was purplish, I think."

The girl covered her mouth. "Oh."

"Oh?" Natsumi gulped. "Is it that bad?"

She shook her head again "N-No... I mean... I was sure that's the one you meant." She smiled faintly. "Normally, every part of the Byōsu cactus is medicinal and not harmful. However, the fruit itself is such a powerful laxative that only a few drops of its juice are given at a time."

Natsumi and Sena blinked. "Laxative?"

The girl nodded. "Yes." She paused. "Exactly how many did your friend eat?"

Sena looked to Natsumi, who laughed and scratched her head again.

"Uh... well... I don't know exactly... A lot? We tried to stop him from eating them without knowing what they were."

"Tried to." Sena let out a sigh. "But he'll be alright, won't he?"

The girl giggled and nodded again. "He'll be alright. But he'll be horribly miserable for the entire time you're here."

"Well, at least he'll be fine." Sena smiled faintly, containing a laugh. "Poor Aito."

"My family runs an apothecary." The girl took another step forward. "We have ingredients to make a tea for him that will reduce the side effects and help him recover faster, if you'd like some."

"Really?" Natsumi smiled. "That would be great!"

"Yes, please." Sena nodded. "As stupid as he can be sometimes, he's still a good friend and I hate seeing him so sick."

The girl's smile widened and she motioned for them to follow her. "Come with me then. The shop isn't far, and we'll have plenty of time to make the tea and treat him before the sandstorm blows through."

"Ahem." The man cleared his throat, resting a hand on his hip as he stared down at the girl. "We've been charged to escort them."

"Oh." She pursed her lips, clasping her hands as she looked at the men. "But, we have just enough time to get the tea before the storm is here, so I can escort them. It's really no trouble."

"Our orders are from the Kazekage."

"Please, allow me to do this. I don't think Lord Kazekage would like for our guests and allies to be so sick." She widened her eyes as she pleaded. "Their friend is in no condition to travel the way he is anyway. If I don't treat him, they'll be forced to stay longer until he's well, and it might look bad on the Hidden Sand if we don't help him."

The men looked amongst themselves and sighed.

"Fine." He waved a hand, shooing them off. "Go then. But make it quick. We'll be the ones in trouble if you don't get them inside in time and they get stuck in the storm."

The girl grinned and nodded quickly. "Thank you! I promise to not let you or Lord Kazekage down!" She turned to Natsumi and Sena, still beaming as she took their hands and pulled them along with her. "Follow me! This won't take long at all!"

"Thank you." Sena smiled as she was led. "We really appreciate this."

"It's really no trouble." The girl smiled at them, releasing their hands once they had left the building and stepped out into the streets. "We normally don't get a lot of visitors, and I always like to help out however I can. You'd be surprised how many people fall prey to the Byōsu unintentionally."

"It's really lucky that it's not deadly." Natsumi let out a breath. "I'd hate to have to explain what happened to him."

"It can be lethal." The girl nodded. "However, that's mostly because it can cause terrible dehydration. As long as your friend drinks plenty of water, he'll be fine. But for any travelers passing through the desert that pick the fruit, thinking it's a source of water..." She shook her head. "Those people don't usually survive."

Natsumi shuddered. "...What a way to die."

"Oh, I'm Maisa, by the way." The girl giggled and clasped her hands behind her back. "It's really nice to meet you."

"I'm Natsumi."

"I'm Sena."

Maisa smiled and navigated through the city. Each person they passed cast a sideways glance, some of them moving further away. Natsumi frowned slightly as she caught their eyes and turned her eyes to Maisa.

As much as it bugs me, I have to ignore them. Even if they don't like us much, we're strangers in an unfamiliar place, so we have to stay calm and friendly.

Her mouth twitched in a faint smile at the sight of a small clay pot beside a house that held vibrant blue blooms. An old woman sat beside the flowers on the step, squinting at them as they passed before raising a hand in a small wave.

"Oh, Maisa-chan." The woman rested her hand on her knee, squinting at Natsumi and Sena. "Who is that you're with?"

Maisa stopped and waved at the woman, and then pointed to the girls. "Granny Saori, these are Sena and Natsumi. From the Hidden Leaf. They just finished meeting with Lord Kazekage."

"Oh?" The old woman smiled at them. "I've always wanted to visit the Hidden Leaf, ever since I was a girl. I hear it's beautiful, with green everywhere."

"It is." Sena stepped toward her with a smile. "And in the spring, the trees are filled with white, purple, and pink blossoms. There are so many petals in the wind that it almost seems as if it's raining flowers."

"Ah, that sounds so lovely." The woman smiled to herself, shutting her eyes for a moment. "If only I could see it for myself."

She sighed and lowered her gaze. "I wonder how Sayaka is doing..."

"Sorry to hurry off, Granny Saori, but there's a sandstorm coming and we have to go. You should get inside."

"Oh my." The old woman blinked and picked up the small potted plant as she stood shakily. "You girls be careful now, alright?"

"We will!" Maisa waved again and continued forward.

Well, I guess not everyone is unfriendly.

Natsumi smiled and glanced over her shoulder to see the old woman step into her home and shut the door behind her.

"What a lovely woman." Sena walked beside Maisa. "You seem really close to her."

Maisa nodded. "Granny Saori is one of the oldest people in all of Suna, and she's always lonely. Ever since I was little, she's always been kind to all the kids, making candies and sweets and spoiling us." She touched her stomach and sighed. "It's been a long time since she's been able to make them, though. She has terrible pain in her hands that prevent her from doing much on her own, and my Granny is the one who makes her pain-relieving teas. I'm the delivery girl, so I see her regularly."

She sighed. "But, she's always so lonely that I feel bad on days that I don't see her."

"She doesn't have any family?" Sena frowned slightly.

Maisa shook her head as she lowered her voice. "Her husband died in the Second Shinobi War, and her only child was disowned officially by the previous Kazekage. She was banned from having any contact with her."

Natsumi's eyes widened. "Why?! That's awful."

"Her daughter, Sayaka, did something taboo." Maisa's voice softened to a whisper. "She fell in love at first sight with a Leaf Shinobi, and they eloped. As a result, she was exiled from Suna. Of course, she moved to Konoha to be with her husband, and that was the last time Granny Saori ever saw her. I'm sure by now, Sayaka is probably has her own children and grandchildren to spoil... ones that her own mother doesn't even know they exist or not."

"How terrible..." Sena stared down at her feet.

I don't understand why there has to be so much tension between the villages like that... splitting up a family like that is wrong.

Maisa stopped in front of a small domed building and pointed. "Here we are."

"Granny! I'm back from my deliveries!" She called out into the shop as they entered, and looked around. "Granny?"

Sena's eyes widened as she looked around at the shelves covering each wall, filled with tinctures, oil, and jars of herbs. Herbs hung from the ceiling to dry and clay pots filled with succulents and desert flowers were positioned everywhere.

"Wow!" Sena moved over to examine a vibrant white flower with purple tips. "I've never seen a rose like this before! It's beautiful!"

"You like it?" Maisa leaned close to the flower to smell it with a smile. "It's a hybrid my Granny created. She crossed a desert lily and a desert rose."

"Oh I see!" Sena's eyes grew wider and she gently reached out to stroke one of the petals. "That explains the unusual shape of the petals. And it smells lovely, too." She looked up. "What's it called?"

"It has no name yet." An old woman said from a back room, and then stopped in the doorway as she spotted the two Leaf Shinobi. Her lips pressed tightly together.

"Granny, this is Sena and Natsumi." Maisa stood straight and gestured toward them. "They're from the Hidden Leaf."

"Yes." The old woman said sharply. "I see that." She looked Sena up and down once more. "So, you're a botanist?"

Sena turned to the woman and smiled faintly, shaking her head. "Oh, no. I wouldn't call myself that. I'm a Medical Ninja, but my passion is Botany. I have a large garden at home and I've even created a few hybrids of my own, but nothing like this." She glanced back at the flower. "It's amazing."

"It is, isn't it?" The woman admired the blooms stiffly and looked at her granddaughter. "Maisa, I'm sure there's a reason you brought them here."

"Oh!" The girl blinked. "That's right!" She nodded. "Granny, their friend had the... misfortune of eating some Byōsu. I wanted to give them some tea to help him."

The woman studied the girls again for a long time before finally speaking. "Your friend is an idiot."

Natsumi laughed quietly under her breath and scratched the back of her head. "Sometimes he is..."

The woman went quiet again and then waved her hand. "Do it quickly so you can send them on their way before the storm hits."

"Yes, Granny!" Maisa nodded quickly. "Thank you!"

The woman sat down at the against the far wall as she watched Maisa bustling around the shop quickly to gather different ingredients. Once she was finished, she put them into a large mortar and began to crush them up into a fine powder.

"What herbs are you using?" Natsumi watched curiously.

"Some dried blackberry, psyllium seeds, some ginger, orange peel, and chamomile." Maisa added a few bright red, glossy petals and crushed them finely as well. "But the main ingredient is Byōsu petals."

Natsumi blinked and pointed at the mixture of herbs. "Isn't that what got him into this mess in the first place?"

Maisa laughed softly. "The Byōsu fruit, yes. But, lucky for your friend, the petals of the Byōsu flowers are the perfect remedy against the fruit's effects."

"Amazing." Sena muttered under her breath as she watched the girl work. "The plants of this region are really something."

"I've always been fascinated with herbalism, ever since I was a child." Maisa smiled and finished grinding the herbs, setting down the pestle as she retrieved a small jar and transferred the mixture inside. "My mother could throw together a remedy for just about anything and cure a man who was half-dead. She was the one who made me interested in medicine first."

"She sounds really great." Natsumi smiled.

"She was the best." Maisa nodded and held out the jar to them. "All done now. There's enough in here for twelve cups of tea. Have him drink one cup every hour. By the time he's done with the last cup, he should feel almost back to normal."

Sena took the jar and nodded. "Thank you. We really do appreciate this."

"It's no trouble!" Maisa grinned and stuffed her hands into her overalls. "I just hope your friend has learned his lesson about eating unknown fruits."

Natsumi laughed. "Me too."

Maisa turned to the old woman, who was only half paying attention to the catalog she was reading.

"Granny, I'm going to walk them back to where they're staying tonight."

"Hmph." The woman shrugged slightly. "Fine. But hurry back."

Maisa led them out of the shop and sighed once they were several meters away.

"I'm really sorry about my Granny." She lowered her voice as they walked. "She's always wary of strangers, but especially of foreign Ninja. I'm sorry she was so unwelcoming."

"It's alright." Sena smiled and held the jar close. "It hasn't even been a full generation since we were last at war, and Konoha and Suna were on opposite sides. I understand if people are nervous with us being here."

Maisa nodded slowly. "A lot of people here don't trust anyone outside of the village. Most everyone, actually."

"I'm sure there are a lot of people in the Leaf who feel the same way." Natsumi added and put her own hands into her pockets. After all... they blame Naruto for what the Nine-Tailed Fox did...

Maisa nodded again and shrugged. "I understand it, I do... but..." She sighed. "I think it's so sad that people can't try to forgive and move forward, after all this time. Plenty of people here lost family to the war, but that's true for the Leaf as well. After all this time, people still prefer to point fingers and hold grudges instead of making amends."

Just like with Naruto... Natsumi pressed her lips together. They'd rather blame him for everything than move on...

"Unfortunately, that's just human nature." Sena frowned slightly. "It's easy for us to give in to negative emotions and fall into bad habits, and difficult for us to get out of that place."

As they walked, the breeze blew harder and Maisa looked upward.

"It should hit us full-on in the next hour, so be careful and don't go outside until it's over."

"How long will it last for?" Natsumi looked around, but didn't notice anything out of place. "The Kazekage said we should stay overnight."

Maisa nodded. "That sounds about right. This one will be pretty big, so I expect that it will last until sometime tomorrow, unless the winds change."

"Not that Aito is in any condition to travel at the moment." The corners of Sena's mouth twitched in a smirk. "So, it's actually good for us that we can stay for a bit."

Natsumi looked around as they walked and she blushed slightly as she saw a familiar face out of the corner of her eye.

It's him again! She averted her eyes just as the boy looked at her from an adjoining street. This place is so big... why does he have to be here?

"Natsumi, are you alright?" Sena put a hand on her forehead. "You're really flushed. Is the heat getting to you?"

Natsumi shook her head quickly. "I-I'm fine."

Sena put a hand on her hip. "Okay, if you say so. Just remember that you promised me before to let me know if you didn't feel well."

"We're here." Maisa stood beside an ovular building and gestured. "This is where visitors are usually housed, although we don't get many."

"Thank you for walking us here." Sena smiled and tilted her head. "And, thank you especially for the tea. We'll return the favor somehow."

"Oh, don't worry about that." Maisa waved her hand. "We are allies, after all. It wouldn't have been right of me to ignore you... Plus, I've wanted to meet Ninja from other Villages for a long time to see what they were like. I was happy to help."

"Thank you." Natsumi nodded with a sly smile. "To be honest, I was feeling a little uncomfortable having an escort like that. I'm glad you insisted on taking us with you."

"It was my pleasure." She stepped away from the pair and waved. "It was very nice meeting you. I'm sorry to have to leave so soon, but I've got to get back before my Granny starts to worry. Her lectures always last for hours if I'm late."

"Thanks again." Sena waved. "I hope we get a chance to see you again before we leave tomorrow."

"I'd like that." Maisa waved again, then ran off.

"I wish she lived in the Leaf Village with us." Natsumi sighed quietly. "We could all be good friends that way."

"Me too." Sena nodded. "But, being long distance friends doesn't sound too bad, though."

"No, it doesn't."

They went inside and found their room, settling in as the wind pounded against the shutters and groaned loudly outside. Natsumi sat at a small table and plucked a fruit from the bowl sitting in its center, eating it as she thought.

Maybe if we do become friends with her, people in both villages will ease up in time, and we'll become even closer allies. Maybe then Granny Saori would be able to see her daughter again.

"Natsumi, I'm going to go over to Aito's room and give him the tea." Sena held up the jar. "I'll be back in just a moment."

"Okay." She took another bite and turned to look at a small painting on the wall of a desert landscape at sunrise.

Maybe us coming here was fate. I have a good feeling that everything will work out well for Suna and Konoha.