World #01 — Umigakure

"A civilian world, you say…?" Orochimaru's voice echoed through the link he had established with his spire.

Naruto — or rather, his clone — just nodded.

"That's what we found, yes."

"This could be interesting." Orochimaru mused. "Did you notice any interesting advances?"

"Not particularly." Naruto said slowly. It had mostly been crowded. "But perhaps we simply need more time to figure things out."

"Interested in spending more time there yourself, perhaps?"

Naruto laughed. "Not really."

Orochimaru sighed. "…Your lack of curiosity astounds me."

"You go there yourself, then."

"I cannot, at the moment. But perhaps there is some other way we could get a foothold in their world."

Naruto paused.

"…Where are you, even…?"

Orochimaru just laughed.

Yoisen's Remote Island.

Yoisen froze in the doorway, in spite of herself.

She had known he had not left, but… still.

Naruto was reclining in one of her chairs, looking entirely at ease. And he might do his best to appear ordinary, but there was only so much he could do to hide the caged power in his eyes.

It had been… a while. She had known, of course, but knowing and realizing were two different things. And now here he was, lounging in her room, as though relative years hadn't passed since last time.

His eyes met hers. "…That's not exactly the sort of meeting I had in mind, I'll admit."

"What did you have in mind, then, Naruto?" Her voice was soft. And strong too, although that was harder to manage.

Naruto didn't answer.

He hadn't changed much in the last few years. His jaw had broadened some, and so had his shoulders, somehow. Chakra flowed from him, unrestrained here, and the air around him was warm. It was a subtle thing; if you weren't looking closely, you probably wouldn't notice.

Same white-cloak-on-black clothing, same imposing frame… same handsome face. The purple eyes were the most captivating thing, though, and not because of the Rinnegan. They were dark in normal circumstances, and seemed light when he focused; like shadows and moonbeams.

She had met several of his alternates in the time between… killing Indra and coming back, but none had the same eyes.

And there was something intriguing about any version of him, but none really held her interest.

Indra was Indra. Something that belonged to the past.

These other Naruto were… others. People who belonged to their own worlds. Or possibly to the grave, for some of them.

Naruto was Naruto.

The marks that covered his arms seemed somewhat faded, for lack of a better term. Perhaps he had done something to himself again. He had, after all, never liked the feeling of having someone… or something breathing down his neck.

And speaking of… he looked more at peace than she had ever seen him.

It was night still, and a bright one, at that.

The table was littered with food he had undoubtedly cooked in the time it took her to… recover from the last few ordeals. Yoisen couldn't remember the last time anyone had cooked for her.

…How many times had it happened in the first place? How many people had shown her this kind of attention, after her family…? The women who had fought under her command, a millenia ago…? Her aides in Uzushio…? That was a different thing, altogether.

Her lips felt dry, now.

He sat there, waiting, in this very informal way that was his. As though it made complete sense, and she hadn't been wading in blood just hours earlier.

He nodded toward her cup of tea, and she sat down, slowly.

Yoisen paused, mid-sip, when she realized Naruto was just staring at her.

"…What is it?" She muttered.

"I'm not going to make you say anything." That was Indra.

She said nothing.

"But if you ever need anything… I'm here for you." He simply said. "Even if it's just someone who listens."

"…"

"I'm not going anywhere."

She hoped not.

…

They sat in comfortable silence for a while.

He was still staring at her.

She was tempted to look away, or perhaps to stare back.

"Why are you watching me?" Did she spill tea on herself…?

Naruto scratched his chin.

"You've changed."

"…Did I?"

"I would say so." Naruto said.

She eyed him. "It… has been a rough time, I will admit."

He shook his head.

"No. Not in this way." He said. "It's just… You seem more… there."

She paused. "Are you implying anything about my sanity?"

"No." Naruto laughed. "Far from it. I mean you used to be more… remote. As though you were done with living entirely."

That was one way of putting it.

She sighed. "…I see? Well, perhaps it is true." After a pause. "Is it a bad thing?"

"No. I find it… interesting." He said.

She hoped he couldn't see the crack in her façade. It felt a bit too… vulnerable. Silence hung between them for a moment before she spoke again.

Yoisen rubbed her temples.

"…I will admit to…" She began. "Feeling a bit… lost."

Her eyes roamed over the room.

Her voice didn't waver, but she was almost certain he could feel her inner turmoil. It wasn't about him. Although she had had no company for ages, and it felt somewhat startling by comparison. His eyes stared at her with familiarity she was unused to.

But when she looked around, for a moment, the room itself felt entirely too unfamiliar.

She suddenly felt disoriented, and it was difficult for her to explain why.

She didn't know how much time she had spent away, in between worlds, but it had been a long, long while. Now that she was back, there was some strangeness to… everything. To this particular fabric of reality, perhaps.

And she felt a bit out of place in her own skin.

"Ah." He said. "You're feeling disoriented."

She felt like laughing. That was… one way to put it. She made an effort to get a grip on herself instead.

"It will pass." He said softly. "Just don't… focus on it too much. It tends to make it worse. Full-blown derealization is... pretty annoying, too."

"Did it happen to you, too…?"

"Yes." Naruto laughed sharply. "In the beginning, we got too… enthusiastic. Too much reality bending, too much world-hopping. It will pass." He repeated.

There were too many things to say.

"Breathe." He said.

Yoisen took a deep breath.

"Focus on something else. I could tell you a few stories—"

"You…" She hesitated. To think that letters were easier, in the end. "Earlier on, you said that you would listen. Did you mean it?"

Naruto stared at her. His eyes were bright, and his expression very serious. He nodded after a pause.

"I did."

"Then there's something I wish to tell you." Yoisen said. "It might… be a bit heavy, though."

He simply nodded and motioned for her to go on.

"Who cares if a Shishaku outranks a Danshaku, exactly…?" Yoisen scowled. "It's all the same thing, anyway."

Her mother frowned, too.

"They might care, which means you will have to learn about it." She said. "It is the same reason you're supposed to use the opposite end of your chopsticks when moving food to your own dishes. Etiquette is a very real concept."

Yoisen frowned. Letters were one thing, and much more formal, but…

"…Am I really supposed to use the other side of my chopsticks?"

"Yes." Her mother stated, dryly. "Do not think I haven't noticed."

"…Huh." Yoisen crossed her arms. "The Savior doesn't seem to care that much about this sort of thing." She grumbled.

"Or perhaps he knew what sort of savage he was welcoming in his home." Her father said.

"Father!"

He just laughed, in that open way of his.

"Well, you are an adult, now—"

"That's a bit optimistic." Her mother grumbled good-naturedly. "We raised a little fool, this much seems clear now."

Yoisen glared at her.

"—or soon to be one." Father finished, holding on to a chuckle. "And that means you will have to learn about these things."

She sighed.

"I suppose so."

"See it as a sort of game people play, why don't you?" Father shrugged.

"It is closer to acting." Mother chided. "You are fond of plays, are you not?"

"Not today." Yoisen decided.

Mother could try and hide it, but there was a small smile pulling at her lips.

"I suppose we will have to live with a thoughtless young adult soon, then." She said.

"How did you do it, then?" Yoisen asked, scowling. "When you were young — if you ever were, I mean."

"I was born ready, of course."

"Lies." Father said. "You got yourself into trouble all the time."

Mother rolled her eyes. "That was a long time ago."

Yoisen didn't remember much else of that morning, because she had fallen asleep in the middle of the etiquette lesson.

She awoke when Mother shook her slowly. That she had let her sleep that long was a sign that she was in a good mood.

Yoisen yawned.

"Could you get us some bread for dinner?" Mother asked.

Yoisen sighed. That meant a fair amount of walking, if she didn't want to hear complaints about bread quality, about how 'Kakuto always burned the bread to a crisp.'

She was a bit tired of always being the one sent on such errands. But she knew exactly how saying anything about being an adult, (or close to) as well as a student of the chakra arts would go.

Bright sunshine and the less sweet smells of a city greeted Yoisen as she made her through the streets. Yūgawa was usually pleasant during spring, and this year was no exception.

It was early afternoon when Yoisen set out, feeling vaguely bored as she headed toward Tamanaha's shop. There were people everywhere.

It was a beautiful day.

One full of tranquil hope, the sort you never even realized had been there until you knew it was gone.

Yoisen, to this day, hoped that her parents spent their last hours happily. That they didn't waste them on pointless formalities, or worrying about the future. That they laughed, that they danced, instead. That they were together when Yūgawa burned.

She wished it were so, at least.

And that was all there was to be said about the matter of her parent's deaths and the last moments of her innocence.

When the kingdom of Naiwa attacked, and scattered patches of smoke hung in the evening air, along with the smell of blood and burnt hair, there was only numbness.

There was no point in her reminiscing about the next few hours, of freeing herself from the rubble after regaining something that could be called consciousness.

There was no point either in her reminiscing about walking in a burning city in a daze, feeling as though this day had been a dream from which she would soon wake up from.

She passed Chiyoko's house, which was entirely collapsed. She felt for chakra clumsily, for anything, and knew at once there was no one alive there.

A few ruined buildings ahead, Osamu lay down, as though he were only sleeping. There was a twisted watering hose in his hand, and it felt too familiar for her to ignore it.

Kaede was dead, too. The firelight made her empty eyes seem alive. Yoisen walked aimlessly.

Everyone seemed to be gone.

Yoisen did not want to think about it. She knew what had happened, rationally, and she knew from the simple fact that she was alive that Naiwa's forces had likely pulled back already, after a successful offensive—

Yoisen wanted to leave.

She could walk into the mountains and keep going until the sun came up again. She would hear the birds in the distance, and from this far, she would barely see the smoke anymore.

She could walk until her legs hurt, and then she could walk some more.

She could walk, and try not to think of today, until she was forced to sleep. Or she could kill herself before that, perhaps.

But she did none of that.

She walked back home. It wasn't night yet. The fires had died down already, still. There, she found her parents.

The details of this, she would rather not reminisce about, either.

She fell asleep in their bed, despite not meaning to, and the room still smelled like them.

The war with Naiwa began on that day.

Yoisen scrubbed at her eyes quickly.

"Again… There is no need for you to look at me like this, Naruto." She said.

Then again, perhaps it was her fault, for leading with this sort of story. She wasn't entirely sure what had come over her, either.

He looked a bit shaken. "I… had no idea. About how…"

He had known about her parents from Indra's memories, of course, but the exact circumstances were something she had never mentioned before. To either man.

"It… It was a long while ago." She said. "I… felt like telling you. There is not much more to be said about it."

His expression softened. "…Then I thank you for telling me."

He moved to sit a bit closer to her and waited for her to speak again.

"Not… everyone died. On that day. Far from it." Yoisen said. "And several friends escaped. Naiwa's two fronts attacked from the east and the south, and they were forced to leave soon after. They didn't manage to take the city."

She paused, closing her eyes.

"And a city…" She began.

"Could be rebuilt." Naruto grimaced.

She let out a thin smile.

Yoisen stared at her cup of tea, not feeling particularly hungry.

"I killed Indra." She said, flatly. "Out there, I mean. I don't know when. Yesterday. Or perhaps months ago."

There was a long moment of stunned silence.

"…You did?" Naruto asked, after a while.

Yoisen chuckled mirthlessly. He leaned back in her chair, rubbing the back of his head.

There were old fears pounding through her, as well as unwanted memories.

He didn't seem as though he were about to leave anytime soon, and he hadn't pushed her for any sort of explanation. Paradoxically, it was what made her want to actually tell him. She stirred her tea, cursing her hand for shaking ever so slightly.

"I landed in a world where he took over you." She said simply.

Naruto continued to scratch the back of his head, wincing. "…I see."

"I… lowered my guard, thinking it was you… and he did what he always did." She said.

"Inari…?"

She nodded and he made a disgruntled noise.

"I… unweaved it, slowly enough that he would not notice. With the Rinnegan, that is." She said. "I knew the how already, and well… it has been a long time coming."

And they both knew it was.

"I saw a chance, and I grabbed it." She said. "It was... over in a blink."

"I can't imagine it was easy." He said softly. "Are you hurt?"

"No. I took him by surprise." She said. "He never…" She stumbled a bit. "He never even had the time to realize what that shadow that had been whispering poison in his ear so long ago... truly was."

Naruto knew it.

He had only slowly pieced together what Black Zetsu was through Nagato's memories… and Kaguya's almost proud words.

"Element of surprise aside…" Yoisen continued. "…And even if he had managed to get his hands upon the Rinnegan, you would have found him, eventually. I know that he would have been no challenge at all to you."

Naruto shook his head.

"…I didn't mean hurt physically." He said.

Yoisen hesitated.

"It had to be done."

"Yes…" Naruto agreed. "That doesn't make it any easier."

"He… died quickly." She said softly. "That's… all there is to know."

Yoisen expected plenty of reactions, but not the one Naruto gave her.

He took her hand, and before she could blink, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her into his embrace. He smelled like ozone and sea salt. She froze.

And didn't move for a while.

She couldn't recall the last time anyone—

Yoisen cried in his arms. She let the dam be broken, and let the pressure rush out, wherever it was going.

It felt like a weight being lifted from her chest.

He was there.

Of course, she fell asleep.

Yoisen woke up slowly.

She startled when she realized she was still in his arms, and he was propped up on soft pillows. His cloak lined the floor under them.

"Awake, now?" He asked her amusedly.

"…"

He was reading through one of her books, and he had undoubtedly called it to his hand.

"You can let go of me, now." She muttered.

"Sure thing." He laughed and let her crawl away from him.

It was very undignified, and she felt her cheeks burn.

And…

She was suddenly distracted by the feel of something underneath her palm, pressed flat. There was a hard lump in the inside pocket of his coat, which was resting on the floor. She frowned. What was he carrying…?

Her curiosity must have shown.

"Ah, this…? I don't usually carry things in my pockets." He said, amused. "That's what seals and the Mindspace are for."

"It felt like paper."

"Why don't you find out for yourself, then?"

Was he trying to distract her…?

Yoisen hesitated for a second, but drew closer to him. She reached inside the garment swiftly. This close, all she could smell was him. Her fingers pulled out the bundle from his pocket.

She looked at the envelope with some disbelief. Letters.

"Why…?" She whispered.

He met her eyes. A smile pulled at his lips.

"Well, I figured that since I couldn't send them… I might as well give them to you directly, once we both got back."

That… was a pretty strange mixture of emotions, down in her gut. Elated surprise that he had been thinking of her at all, hope that she wasn't necessarily wrong about this whole thing, fear of what this could mean… or not.

"…Ah." She whispered. "Thank you."

"And because I know I missed your birthday…" He began, standing up. "I brought you… this."

He pulled something out of nowhere. A large metal screen, made from plastic and metal. She stared. Blinked.

"Since you told me you were kinda out of touch with most forms of media… Toru helped me steal a TV. Well, buy, technically, but some people are a bit more sensitive about crafting gold to pay for everything."

"A… TV?" She asked, squinting.

"Television."

"Ah, yes." She nodded. "I have heard of those. Their purpose is to display movies, right?"

"More or less." He nodded. "Also, to relay propaganda."

"I… see." She nodded. "I thank you. I have been missing out on the latest worldly developments. There is some value to be found in even that, if you know how to look at it."

Naruto let out a chuckle, his lips curving up. "You're free to watch propaganda if you want, but the TV sort is not really that big in our world yet. Not sure how you even connect to the global network around these parts of the world, though. You can ask Toru or Hanabi about this sort of stuff, and they'll talk your ear off about future projects, anyway. I'm kinda scared, I'll admit."

She smiled too, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "…Perhaps I will, if the opportunity presents itself." She glanced at him.

"It will." Naruto chuckled. "Come to Umi when you feel like it."

It was a very casual offer, the sort that she should have known he would make, really. Her lips felt a bit dry.

"I… I think I would like that."

"Great!" He grinned. "Let me plug this up for you, then."

"Plug…?"

"Yeah. This thing relies on electricity. So Karin made this for it." Naruto conjured a small black rod, and there was a small flash of lightning that was absorbed into it.

"How curious…"

It was pretty clear that he was trying to keep her busy. She found that she didn't mind.

"I kinda figured you wouldn't have running electricity around here." He chuckled.

"If you are implying that I might be something of a dinosaur when it comes to these matters…" Yoisen began. He grinned.

"You might be right." They finished together.

Naruto grinned again, and she smiled back, and it pulled at her eyes.

…

"I will admit." He began. "That I am sort of partial to bad movies, which drives Karin up against the wall."

"It's just 'up the wall' now, I think." She said.

"Really?" He frowned.

"It changed a few centuries ago." Yoisen smiled.

"Someone should have told Madara, then." He grumbled. "Fucker thought he had it all figured out."

"Before the cave…?"

"Including the cave. It was all part of… his 'master plan.'" Naruto laughed. "In any case, Last Carriage to the West is fun. Which is something that gets a bit lost, sometimes. Movies are supposed to be a form of entertainment, a way to escape from reality for a little while. But plenty of them are the same. The same tired plotlines, the same characters, the same twists and turns."

Naruto continued, half-serious, half-grandiose.

"Me, I refuse to be a part of that. I demand more from my entertainment. I want to be surprised. I want to see something that hasn't been done before. I want to maybe curse the filmmaker, the writer. Is that too much to ask?"

"It shouldn't be." Yoisen nodded in false seriousness.

"That's right. I love movies. Particularly the ones I can sit through without getting bored or hungry. I won't give up hope. I know there are great movies out there, waiting to be discovered. I just have to keep searching, keep digging until I find them. And when I do, it'll all be worth it."

"Very inspiring speech." She nodded. "Befitting... of the emperor."

"Thank you, Yoisen. Now… important question. Shinobi Don't Cry or The Perils of Losing Your Trusty Blade In The Man-Eater's Mountains…?"

An amused laugh escaped her.

"Are these film names, truly…?"

"If you think that's weird, you should see what they have in this weird civilian world—"

"Non-chakra-user." Yoisen corrected. "You're the one who coined the term."

"…And I should have coined a better one." He grumbled. "It really doesn't roll off the tongue."

She hummed her agreement.

"Is that the world I…" She winced. "Just found all of you in…?"

Blade out, covered in blood, eyes wild. That was one way to set a bad first impression.

Naruto didn't manage to hold on to a little chuckle, which made her want to crawl in a hole.

"That's the one." He said. "Though it's pretty weird out there, it might take some time getting used to."

"In any case…" She began. "The Perils of Losing Your Trusty Blade In The Man-Eater's Mountains sounds more interesting."

"I knew you'd go for that one." He laughed.

"I am sort of predictable." She admitted.

"…Not always." He gave her a pointed look.

This time, she looked away.

This… felt like falling straight into uncharted waters, on a particularly choppy day.

"I…" She told him. "Thank you for the film, then. I will…" She didn't finish.

"Will…?"

"Watch it and… tell you what I thought?" She almost asked. A letter, perhaps…?

Naruto snorted. "If that's how you want to do it, sure. Otherwise, if you don't feel like watching it alone, I'll just invite myself to stay."

"I… believe I would like that." She told him.

He blinked.

"…What is it?" She frowned. Was it weird of her…?

"No, it's nothing." He said. 'Huh. I didn't even know she could blush.'

…

"I was about to ask you if you watched movies often." Naruto began.

"But it became clear to you that I do not, of course." Yoisen nodded.

She was staring at the light that came from the screen.

"Right."

"I have seen Golden Dawn." She stated.

There was this unsure look in his eyes and she was pretty sure he did not know what she was talking about.

"Golden Dawn?" She repeated. "That… film from about forty years ago…?"

"Oh, right." He seemed to recognize it, now.

"…Are you sure you really know it…?" She asked, trying to keep the amusement off her face.

"I'm not pretending." He frowned.

"Surely you wouldn't do such a thing."

"It was not me." He grumbled.

"I know as much."

"It was one of the first full-length movies." Naruto nodded. "But as you might remember, Madara kinda was… busy with other things at the time."

"Such as plotting."

"Yes." He drawled out. "Scheming."

"In a cave." She said, politely.

"That's right." Naruto nodded. "Jokes aside… It's not the worst place to plan things out. It's set in a cool location and allows for a lot of introspection. And perhaps some ruminating, too."

She snorted, despite herself. Naruto grinned.

They both sat back and settled in, and she slowly found herself relaxing.

Over the next hour and a half, her appetite returned. Both gasped in delight at some of the worst plot twists they could remember seeing in a while.

They ate and laughed, and she found herself stealing a few glances at him, when he was not looking.

"The plot was nonsensical." She declared, right after the movie ended.

"What is so unrealistic about finding a legendary sword deep in the mountains and finding out that you're the chosen one…?" He asked dubiously. "I'm pretty sure it happened to some guy in one of these other worlds, actually. Then he was crowned Kage or something, too."

"…The core concept, mainly."

"Ah, but… Here's the thing, Yoisen." He wagged his finger teasingly. "If it's happened somewhere already, who's to say it's unrealistic…?"

"I said 'nonsensical', though." She smiled. "It is not the same thing."

"Tomato, tomato." He rolled his eyes fondly. "Anyway, I think this movie has a sequel."

There was a strange lump in her throat.

"Does it?"

"I think so. I'll bring it over, if that's the case."

"So… next time…?" She asked quietly.

"Next time." He grinned.

"Ah… I see." She said. "I would like that."

There was a moment of silence. She was staring, she knew.

"Well." He said, entirely casual again. "I think it's about time I go back."

"I see." Yoisen said. "I… thank you for keeping me company. It helped."

"Come over anytime." He smiled. "And sorry for missing your birthday."

"It's only been close to a thousand missed ones, now." She nodded. "One more is fine."

He laughed, too.

"…Don't forget about the next one, then." She smiled. "Naruto."

"I won't."

"Also… I may also have some letters to give you." Yoisen said. "And one or two… for Karin, too."

Naruto paused.

"For… Karin?" He asked dubiously.

Yoisen nodded evenly.

Naruto hesitated for a second. That sounded a bit too much like the kind of thing that would explode in his face soon enough.

"You guys are… in contact?" Naruto asked.

"Sometimes." Yoisen smiled. "She has some… interesting ideas." She looked away.

"Uh…" Naruto muttered. That wasn't good.

Yoisen said nothing.

There was only silence.

"…You do know that I'm a married man, right…?"

"Of course." She nodded. It was difficult to forget, truly.

"And… that there is a slight difference between what Karin and Toru say and think and… reality, too?" He asked dubiously.

"I do know as much, yes." Yoisen nodded.

"And… that…" Naruto tried to find the best way to formulate it. "I wouldn't do anything that would hurt any of my partners…?"

Yoisen nodded.

"I do know that Ino and Karin share… dissimilar views about…" She hesitated.

There really was no good way of formulating it. So Naruto spared her what would have undoubtedly been a fumbling, hesitant explanation. With his usual bluntness.

"…Expanding." He said wryly.

Yoisen closed her eyes.

"…Indeed." She hoped her face didn't look as hot as it felt.

Naruto rubbed his temples.

"Look, I think I should… clarify. I believe that there was a bit of a misunderstanding—" He began.

"I have realized since then, yes." Yoisen said, breathing growing heavier. She swallowed. "And perhaps I reacted too hastily. I… may have read too much into… uh. Into that particular book. And that particular letter."

"…Yes." Naruto said, half-sheepish, half-amused. "Perhaps. It's on me, though. I can see why this would be a bit… confusing."

"Do… not think ill of me." She cleared her throat.

"Of course not. For such a thing?" He smiled. "We do go way back — in a way. Ino will be fine with us being good friends. She's very understanding, she just needs some time here."

Yoisen knew that this would be a good time to exit with her dignity, of course. It would be the smart thing to do, too.

But she could be somewhat stubborn, sometimes, she knew.

And besides, when she looked back up and saw him staring, there was a hint of something in his eyes.

Something that made her afraid, and something that made her hopeful, too. Something worth the possible embarrassment. She braced herself.

"…I would like to meet her." Yoisen said. "Properly, I mean."

"Karin?" Naruto smiled. "I'm sure she'd be thrilled, since you never really—"

"I meant Ino."

Naruto paused.

"Ah."

Yoisen couldn't help it. She laughed freely, high and clear.

Naruto sighed but he was amused too, seemingly trying — and losing — to fight off a rueful grin.

"I… guess this particular introduction was pretty rough." He cleared his throat.

"Back on that boat…?" She winced a bit, but smiled at him. "Perhaps it was. Not my best work, I'll admit. I didn't exactly…"

"Count on me living?" He offered, generously.

She flinched.

"Ah, come on." He chuckled. "If this sort of thing catches you on the wrong foot, Ino's going to pounce on the opportunity." And that was ignoring Toru or Sakura.

"…Will she…?"

Naruto nodded fondly. "She's the best at this sort of thing, so best not to get on her wrong side, really."

Yoisen thought there were a few ways she just might land herself there.

"…I will do my best, then." She nodded carefully.

Naruto looked outside.

"Well… I suppose I can stay a little while longer, then. Nothing's burning."

"Of course. Take all the time you want." She offered, magnanimously.

"Here, let me help you prepare for when you finally meet Ino, then."

Yoisen nodded. She could always make more tea later. Or find some other pretext.

"Okay, if she says anything like 'ah… I see someone has decided that proper introductions are more important than helping us fight the madman in the sky'… Start by reminding her that you couldn't, alright…?"

"I see." She nodded. "Duly noted."

"Do not provoke her and don't… look too neutral about the issue, please."

"I won't, then." She put on her best affected expression.

"Yes, something like this. If she calls you anything like 'a sleazy homewrecker' or a 'white-haired witch'—"

"Why would she…?"

"Questions later, Yoisen."

"As you say."

The sun rose over the tranquil island.

AN: i imgur com kbKLStb png

"Well-Laid Plans"

(i'm NOT drawing with a mouse ever again)