[OP: "Dear Wormwood"--The Oh Hellos]

"I had an idea for how to help," Ino said. "But, uh...I think Shoto did too."

"You can go first," Shoto said.

Shine nodded at Ino.

"Uh...well...do you remember what happened to me in Stone?" Ino said. "With the thief...and my jutsu...and it's changing?"

"It is?" Sakura said.

"Shh." Karin wanted to hear this.

"Yes..." Shine said cautiously. "But, Ino, if this is going where I think it is, no way."

"Why not?" Ino said. "It's worth a shot."

"Why not? Let me think of the reasons--" Shine counted on her fingers. "1) I don't like that jutsu anyway. 2) This is Sasuke we're talking about, and his mind is a mess on a good day. 3) Currently we suspect that the Sharingan or the Curse jutsu or both, are the cause of most of those, and he's too loopy to be much help to you even if they weren't. 4) You could get hurt. Need I go on?"

"But maybe there's a way," Ino protested. "Bakugo and Dabi were saying that what I have might be a spiritual gift of some kind...working through my jutsus. Doesn't that give you guys immunity to genjutsu?"

To Sakura's surprise, Shine actually seemed to think about it.

"Well..." she hesitated. "Let's see... It wouldn't be prophetic...I think... Hmm, well, your ability does resemble the gift of mercy...or intercession perhaps."

"Huh?" Ino said. 

"Both of those gifts involve feeling what other people feel and rely on compassion heavily," Shine explained. "But intercession is a bit more active. It means you can take on other people's battles and fight for them, spiritually speaking. People do it with prayer, dance, song, that kind of thing. But it's quite dangerous to go too far into it without having time off. You can pick up people's problems for yourself. The evil forces of the world do not care whether it's your deal or not--they will try to attack you anyway. Don't think just because you're not Sasuke his curses would not attempt to harm you too if you got that close. You have no idea what it could be like."

"Intercessory," Momo said. "I read about that...but not in detail."

"Well, people often think of it as a calling to do a large amount of praying for other people," Shine said. "Something all of us have to do, but some people have a gift for it. My mother is like that... But the point is, it is dangerous if you don't have boundaries."

"So how do you set boundaries?" Shoto asked.

"Prayer and knowing when to pull back," Shine said, "and knowing how to dig deep into the good side of all this too... Look, Ino, this sounds like a very risky idea you have, a brave one, but I'm not sure you understand what you could get yourself into."

Ino was a little cooled, but then she said, "But surely you could...help?"

"Well...maybe," Shine said. "But do you want to risk being caught in a genjutsu?"

"Genjutsu can be ended," Ino said. "And...you can undo them, so...there must be some way to keep it from getting out of control... I know, I'm new to this...but it looks as if we're running out of time. How l long can he take this?"

"If it keeps going like this..." Karin said uneasily, "I would give him...another day at most."

"Only one more day?!" Sakura cried.

"You just can't live this way for long," Karin said. "And his temperature is not going down either, probably because we can't get him to lie still and actually rest... That's just adding to it."

"I did have an idea about that," Shoto said. "I don't know if it would work, but do you remember in Mist? When that poison got into your eyes?"

"And your ice cleansed it?" Shine said.

"And you said that was also a gift," Shoto said.

"Yes...it has to be, though it's a new one for me," Shine said. "I see... Hmm, that could work."

"It could?" Karin said.

"Yes...ice would help anyway, but regular ice hasn't done much but make it slightly better," Shien explained. "But it's possible that Shoto's ice would wipe some of those away... At least the cursed jutsu of Orochimaru is somehow physical, we know that. It's worth trying."

Karin tapped her chin. "If we could get him a little more in shape physically, maybe Ino's idea would be worth trying. Otherwise the shock or strain would be too much for him like this...but if we could get him a little more back to manageable, maybe she would do something... You're certain you could help him if he just agreed to it?"

"Theoretically, that's how it works," Shine said. "But this is still new to me. Chakra and ninja stuff are not something I've dealt with before, though they are like other things, so...there could be other surprises here... I really should ask Wally if he thinks this is a good idea before we do anything."

"The ice idea is at least safe to try," Momo said. "Let's worry about that first. I think it could help. And then... But, Ino, I also really don't know if that's a wise thing to try."

"I guess we'll keep that as a last resort?" Ino suggested. "I was thinking, though, if I could talk to him in his mind, maybe he could tell me what's going on...then you could help."

"That's...not a terrible idea..." Shine thought it over. "But you would be left alone... And could you communicate to him what we need to be able to help?"

"If you tell me," Ino said, "then sure. If he was able to understand it. Unconscious people are a little different for me...but clearly he's not in an oblivious state right now... He must be thinking or seeing something."

Sasuke was still moving.

"He looks terrible," Shoto said, sounding guilty. "Shine, if I had known--"

"Shoto, there's nothing you could say to make this any different," Shine interrupted him. "I know you're sorry, and I'm not angry at you, but please don't expect me to be extremely comforting right now. I can only take so many difficult conversations at a time."

Her strain was visible.

Shoto nodded. "Of course."

"Well, I'll have words for you later," Sakura said to Shoto. "If he dies because of this, I'll never forgive you."

"Sakura!" Momo cried.

"What?" Sakura said. "This wouldn't have happened if he hadn't used his powers and if Shoto hadn't... You all can be all nice and forgiving, but I just can't be." She turned away stormily.

"I suppose I deserve that," Shoto said, somberly. "I'll try to make up for it, Sakura, I promise. I'm sorry."

Sakura didn't answer him. She just huffed.

"I'm going to send a message to Wally," Shine said. "Do the ice thing. No sense waiting. I'm surprised  he hasn't literally burst into flames yet."

"To think this came on in less than 24 Hours," Momo sighed. "I can't believe it... It's been one thing after another since the other day."

"Since Stone Village, you mean," Ino said as they moved back.

* * *

Wally was prompt.

"I left Naruto to entertain them," he said. "He was pulling a Camie and doing impressions of his friends when I left...so...uh, what's up?"

Shine told him.

"That sounds dangerous," Wally said. "But J'onn has done it... It worked, but it was...risky. Do you think Ino is up for it?"

"Ino is tough, but...I mean...I wouldn't want to do this," Shine grimaced. "I'm not sure what it could be like, but if she can't handle it, she could be scarred."

"But she is used to this, right?" Wally said. "Maybe it wouldn't be as shocking."

"What's going on?" Dabi asked them. "You two are whispering about something. That's never a good sign."

Shine looked up. "Ino wants to try to go into Sasuke's mind and see if she can find the source of the problem."

"The cause of his chakra spiking?" Suigetsu asked. "You think it's mental?"

"Mental, spiritual, emotional...they're all linked," Shine said. "She's right that it could work, but..."

"But that could be dangerous," Sai said.

"Yeah, like, no cap, that idea sounds terrible." Camie stood up. "You're not gonna let her?"

"Normally, I wouldn't dream of it," Shine said. "Actually that was a poor choice of words...but uh...Karin thinks that if we don't find some way to break through this soon...he's not going to last more than another day."

"What?" Hinata gasped.

"His mind and body are under intense strain from whatever caused this lapse into delirium," Shine explained, very somberly. "And...well...so far our efforts have only helped slightly. Her idea might work...or it might hurt her and do nothing for him. I don't want to risk her, but we're...well, running out of ideas."

"Okay...uh, I hate to be that guy," Suigetsu said, "but are you sure Sasuke is worth it?"

"Suigetsu!" Jugo said, reproachfully.

"Look, I don't want him to die," Suigetsu said, "but he's been nothing but a problem for years. This Ino chick is at least a helpful member of her Village. If he's potentially going to die either way, why risk her getting hurt also? If you knew it would work, maybe..."

"He makes a cold but not an unfair point," Gaara spoke.

"Oh...wow, I didn't even know you were back," Shine said. "Wow...I'm out of it."

"We have much to discuss, but it can wait. This is more pressing." Gaara waved his hand dismissively. "I also am not sure Yamanaka should try to do this. Yet I would hate to let Sasuke slip away from us if we could have saved him...especially now knowing what I know about the afterlife..."

"In that light...should she try?" Temari said. "If you can't bring him out of it yourself...? But how can you not have more authority than her in this situation?"

"Ah, well, there is this thing called home field advantage," Wally said. "We have a lot of power, but there are some problems that people who know you and your world best are just always going to understand better and have more access to. That's why we work with you guys, not by ourselves."

"He's right," Shine said. "Perhaps, as DJs, we have hit a wall because we're not part of your world. Her powers are enough like yours to slip past the defenses, perhaps...or it could be worse. It's a toss up. What bothers me is that my sense was not immediately to say no, once she explained it...but I don't feel like saying yes either. I'm too...afraid to do that just to begin with. I'm not unbiased. I'm putting it to all of you and Wally. What does everyone feel?"

They exchanged looks.

"I'd say not to risk it," Shikamaru said. "But then, I hate to take risks... It's her decision, not mine."

"I don't want her to try something so dangerous," Choji spoke. "But I can't stop her."

"I really don't want her to..." Camie said, distressed, "but, like...fahm...what do we do?"

"This sounds like it's not worth the risk to me," Sai said, and he looked pretty upset for him.

Thankfully, he didn't have one of his panic attacks. Shine really didn't know if she could have taken that on top of everything else.

"Look...Sunshine--" Wally turned to her. "--I know how you feel about that Mind-Transfer...but J'onn can do stuff like that, and it's worked out for us lots of times. World rules do have to play some part...and she could be right that she has a gift. Sasuke is in trouble... I think we can pull her out if it doesn't work. She'll be safer than he would be...so, for my money, if she's got the guts to try, we're not the ones to stop her...but it's up to her. I couldn't ask her to do it."

Shine swallowed. "Anyone else?"

The others shifted.

"It's a bad idea, risk wise," Hanabi said. "But...uh...if you have no choice."

"I think it's pretty risky also," Hinata said. "But can we help?"

"You might, actually. You did develop that ability," Shine said. "I wish just cleansing his chakra would help, but...well, I don't think you could just pull it completely out. There is more ingrained than that...but still, you might be able to help."

"I'll try then," Hinata said. "If we all work together, it's safer."

"Do we have time at least to plan?" Shikamaru said.

"We might have a little time, but it's probably better not wait longer than we have to," Shine said. "If we're going to do it..." She looked a little wan. "I feel kind of drained..."

"You've really overdone it," Wally worried. "You should sit this one out."

"No, no, you'll need my help," Shine said. "I can't."

"I've never seen her like this," Dabi told Bakugo. "I don't like it."

"Me neither," Bakugo muttered. "Sasuke really has put us through it now. I'll kick his a-- if he recovers from this."

"Mmm." Dabi nodded.

Hinata, Wally, and Shine headed back to the sick room. 

Sai followed them, and Gaara also.

* * *

Shoto had formed ice. Momo had been wrapping it carefully, and Sakura had put it to Sasuke's head, neck, and other visible parts...

She was watching closely.

The ice melted really fast, he was so overheated...but...

"I think...it's working," Sakura said, after what felt like a very long pause. "He seems a little cooler...but I need more."

"Got it." Shoto formed more.

"Maybe we should apply it to where his curse mark used to be," Momo said. "I know we can't see anything, but...well, there could be traces of it still."

"I still hope you're wrong about that," Sakura said. "But fine. I know where it was."

"That's weird," Karin said.

"It would be hard to forget seeing that," Sakura said, with an annoyed glance at her.

Karin pursed her lips. "Well...his chakra isn't really calming down, but...it is flowing a little more away from where you're applying that ice... That's weird."

"I'm not understanding how this stuff works." Momo put her face in her hands. "And that's...odd for me to admit."

"Maybe it's supposed to be a mystery," Shoto said.

"I wonder what they'll decide," Ino mused.

"Well, it's sort of working," Sakura reiterated. "At least he'll be in less pain right now... Maybe I should apply that on the bruised ribs too...though I already fixed those mostly, but it couldn't hurt to try."

"It's funny since it was the ice that bruised them to begin with," Momo said.

Shoto gave her a look like ''not funny."

"Sorry," she said.

While Sakura was applying the ice more carefully, suddenly Sasuke moved, but more controlled this time.

Then all at once he sat up, and his eyes opened.

At first, they all thought he was finally awake...but Karin was sure his chakra was still disturbed.

And then they realized he was staring straight ahead...so he must not really be awake...just...his eyes weren't seeing them.

"Sasuke?" Momo waved her hand to get his attention...but he didn't even blink at her.

"That's...unsettling," Ino said.

"He did that after Itachi..." Sakura said, backing up like she thought he might attack her, "when his mind was hurt... I don't like seeing that now. I don't have practice at healing people's minds the way Tsunade can... I could try, but...uh...it's delicate."

"Why is he just staring like that though?" Momo asked. "He can't see us or hear us clearly, so why is he even sitting up?"

"Must have something to do with what is going on with the Sharingan," Karin wondered. "Doesn't mean he might not strike. I'd stand clear. I've seen this before...Don't touch him."

True to her prediction, Sasuke's eyes started to spin, moving from the Mangekyo pupils to the Susanoo ones...to perhaps the regular ones, if such things existed anymore.

Thankfully no black fire or Susanoo appeared, and the ninja girls didn't go into any genjutsu, but it was still creepy to see.

"I think Shine was right after all," Karin said, in a freaking out tone. "It's like his power is attacking him, not us."

"I never knew that's how it was with Itachi," Sakura said.

"Well, if you think about it," Shoto said, "technically he has Itachi's eyeballs... Isn't it possible that that could be part of the problem?"

"Oh...wow, I didn't think of that," Momo said. "Your body can reject other people's organs... I mean, you'd think they'd be very compatible. But still...this isn't a normal thing either."

"That makes an odd kind of sense," Karin said. "Itachi is the one who did this to him originally, so his eyes...well, your sensei thinks these things have minds of their own."

"Well, that's horrifying," Sakura said. "But...uh...do you think if we took his eyeballs out, this would stop?"

"Sakura, that's...gross," Ino asid.

"Yeah, but it's better than dying!" Sakura said. 

"He would never agree to that," Karin said. "Besides...at this stage, the shock of doing that might only make it worse. There's no guarantee that would actually stop what's happening."

"Let's call that our other last resort," Shoto said. "I think it has merit, but...to blind someone if you don't have to seems cruel."

"Yes, very," Momo agreed emphatically.

"Right..." Sakura said. "Well, uh...don't tell him I suggested it if he does wake up."

The others came back in right then.

"Did he wake up?" Wally asked.

"No...he can't see us, he's just...something changed," Sakura said. "But he's not lucid... It's like his mind is not here."

"It was never very there to begin with," Wally said. "He went coo coo for Cocoa Puffs."

"That's not helping," Momo said. "What did you decide?"

"Despite my misgivings, everyone has decided that it's worth trying," Shine said. "Ino, you sure you want to do this? We're not going to make you. They said it was up to you."

"I..." Ino glanced at Sai and then at Wally and Shine. "If it could work...I mean...we have to do something."

"Figures you would do something like this," Sakura said. "Trying to one up me."

"Sakura, it's not about that," Ino said. "This is just my job."

"Well...then better just do it," Sakura said, flatly.

"That's nice," Wally said. "Gosh, Sakura."

"She's under a lot of strain right now," Momo said. "Try not to judge her too harshly."

"So...should I just...go?" Ino said nervously.

Everyone glanced at each other.

"Well, at least let us bless you first," Shine said, holding out a hand. "And try to keep it simple. If you make contact with Sasuke--and make sure it's really him, by the way--ask him if he wants us to help him. That's all we should need. Even just believing you would be enough, I think. And you can try to warn him what Karin said if you can...but if he's too confused, don't bother. Just get that one question across."

"And if you're attacked," Wally said. "You should try to come out. We'll pull you out if you start acting agitated... Though I guess it would be hard to tell."

"Yes, I might speak to Sasuke," Ino said. "If it works, anyway...if I have total control. If it's only partially, then I won't be able to, so you won't know what's happening."

"I don't like this idea," Shoto told Momo.

"Neither do I," Momo said. "But I'm concerned. I think he's getting weaker."

Karin thought so too, even if his chakra was still going crazy.

Ino took a deep breath a few times, and they also took the time to do as they said to help her.

But it didn't last long enough really for anyone's peace of mind. Then she was just putting her hands up.

Ino decided not to think too hard about how risky it was and to just focus on her jutsu...and she hoped that would work.

https://youtu.be/2TrqNkrJ428

[Ino AMV to "Fight Song" by Anime AMVs.]

* * *

https://youtu.be/xJYTQVKmDLc

["Circus for a Psycho"--Skillet]

In all this time, Sasuke had had no notion of anything that was going on around him.

Inside his head, things had been so jumbled and chaotic that he would never have had a clear memory of them even if he wasn't delirious, but some moments had stood out in all the madness.

After passing out the night before, at first he'd kind of known people were talking, though he couldn't make out what they said...and he'd felt cold.

But then over time the cold turned to a relentless burning.

Perhaps that was why the things his mind showed him were related to fire.

He saw the Amaterasu black fire burning at his feet and creeping upward towards his head.

He saw orange fireballs landing around him.

This was the clearer vision. Most of the dreams he had were too confusing to remember, but the theme of them all was that something was attacking, or devouring, or torturing him in some way.

As the fever raged on throughout the day, some of the time he had clearer dreams, which were the ones he was talking during, though no one had known what he was saying...

They weren't all memories, as usually sickness dreams aren't simply memory but are instead fears.

But memory was mixed into it somehow. He knew Itachi was a big part of some of them, but so was Orochimaru--it was him more at first.

There were scales and fangs and black marks.

In one decidedly more disturbing dream, he had become the demon form that the curse mark had given him... He could see himself in that dream; maybe there was water in it or something...

But then the form had gained a life of its own and came out of the water to claw at him.

In all of these visions, Sasuke really should have died--which is generally the point where you wake up.

But of course, the delirium kept him from waking up, so one would just fade into another.

This kept on for longer than he could have kept track of even if he'd been in his right mind, but a growing sense of weariness was present through the different visions...as if even now he knew he was getting too tired to keep enduring this kind of barrage.

 He thought he heard voices out of it again and felt something cold or something else attempt to wake him up, and he moved, but he never came out of the dreams...

After a while they weren't really even coherent dreams anymore--they were just sensations, and he only understood them the way an animal might. Hot, piercing pain, violent shaking...that kind of thing.

This was the point where Karin could tell he was starting to lose the stamina to fight this off for much more time.

* * *

For Ino, the experience of going into someone's mind when they were Iike this was entirely new...and not one she'd have recommended to anyone to ever try.

Once she started her jutsu, of course her physical body collapse.

Momo and Sai had to help her rest comfortably.

"Just keep an eye on her," Shine told Karin. "Any changes, let us know."

Hinata had her eyes on. "I'll tell you if her chakra seems to change also," she said, "if I can tell... Now that I'm closer...it is erratic. It's more like Jugo for sure, but...something about it's not like it also. And Jugo's hasn't been this way since the first time we met, so...all I know is it's not good."

"Well, we know that," Wally said uneasily. "Can you tell if Ino's okay?"

"I can sense her energy," Karin said. "But it won't be enough to know what's happening unless it just goes out... Then I'd know, but by then, it's too late."

"Unless you do this like with Neji," Hinata said.

"I hope it won't come to that." Shine was kneeling instead of standing. "Please let this actually work."

Ino currently didn't hear them. Once she was in Sasuke's mind, she heard nothing...which told her that he was hearing none of this, or she would have heard what he did.

Since he was not fully conscious anyway, she didn't get the same clarity as she would in other people's minds in a fight...

But she was reeling from the wall of emotions and sensations that met her almost like heat blasts you when you open an oven suddenly.

In fact, it felt literally like heat... The blackness was burning. She didn't see anything at all... It was suffocating.

Ino almost panicked and lost her grip right then, but, remembering that she had expected this, she stayed calm.

And she was still moving, somehow...

Thinking, she held up her hand. If she could do the same things as she could in real life...

Her hand lit up with chakra--brighter than it used to be, she thought. Or maybe the darkness just makes it seem that way.

The light was enough to let her see where she was...

But it was just an empty space. No one else was in it.

Ino had an impression that this was not where Sasuke's consciousness, if it was still there, was... It had to be some outer barrier.

Her father used to say you had to break through these by force, like a boar. That was where the attack name came from.

Ino wasn't entirely sure what would happen if she attempted to just break this... It could backfire. In a healthy person, overriding their will to interrogate them usually didn't do lasting damage...that they knew of...but with this...

She feared it might just break whatever resistance Sasuke had left to fight what was happening, and if she wasn't strong enough to fight it off herself, then they both could be trapped.

So, thinking this, she decided to just creep forward slowly.

It seemed slow, but she believed it must have been minutes, or even seconds only, in real time, as thoughts feel slow but move faster than the speed of light.

She still saw no one else, but suddenly the mindscape started to change. 

It started to have red streaks in it...and they didn't look like light, though the color was technically lighter than the black...but if it is possible for red to look like darkness while still looking red, then that's what it looked like.

Ino had never seen the nightmare realm of the Mangekyo before. Very few people ever had, and fewer had ever been able to do anything but scream when they did.

Thankfully for her, she didn't feel anything yet. She just saw it changing and twisting into some kinds of shapes...but the shapes didn't make any sense... She thought they might have if she could have seen all of them, but she only saw patches...

They became images that rushed by like a movie reel... She'd see something that was like a house or a tree, and then it would fade into the darkness and other images would take its place... It was so fast that it made her feel vertigo, though that shouldn't have been possible for her.

She closed her eyes--but that didn't help, since it was really inside her mind now...

That indicated the dangerous part. Ino saw her mind was starting to see the same things, and that meant they weren't part of her.

Ino certainly would have lost the fight right then if she'd not immediately realized this and closed her eyes again.

The images kept whirling by, but she focused her willpower.

Then she put out her hands... She still had one lit up, but now she lit up the other.

She didn't know what you would do here, but her thought was that you just focused on what was in front of you, so she used the chakra blades and tried to slice through the pictures.

When she touched them, the sensation of the dream became her own.

She felt fire, hot, hot fire...and searing pain like being burned...

And there was a sound like crows, but not normal crows--crows that didn't sound like flesh and blood...and then wails that were vaguely human, but were more pronounced than humans normally can sound. As if they hadn't come through their windpipes first but came out of their souls.

It was terrifying, and if she'd been in the real world, she'd have covered her ears and eyes to block it out...

She almost lost her focus and pulled back, but thankfully she remembered this was what she was looking for...

The pain was bad for her, but it was still less intense than it would have been for the person trapped in this dream.

So she could still think.

"Sasuke!" she called,hoping he was listening. "Sasuke?! Are you here?"

Sasuke made no answer, if he was there, but the nightmare seemed to resent the stronger voice...

Something closed in around her like a vice...shaking her core.

Ino knew it was genjutsu--of some kind, anyway--but not like anything she'd seen before.

There she did start to panic. She put her hands over her face. "Stop! Ah, help!"

* * *

"Something's wrong," Karin said suddenly, eyes narrowing. "Ino, she's just started spiking also... which shouldn't be possible right now, since her mind and her body are not fully connected."

"What does that mean?" Sai sounded highly alarmed for him...well, for anyone right now.

Camie had come in, though she'd said she didn't want to watch this, but then she hadn't been able to take the suspense anymore.

"Oh gosh," she said...shivering.

"Camie." Shine took her hand. "Perhaps you can see what's going on?"

"Are you on drugs? I can't see people's souls," Camie said. "All I did was see through their disguises..."

"Camie, come on," Shine said. "I've never been good with seeing visions. I see realities, but this one is too blasted with dark power for me to get a bead on... You might have more success than I would."

"Camie, you could at least try," Shoto said. "My idea worked, after all, so maybe your gift would too."

"What exactly is she going to do just by looking?" Bakugo walked in the doorway.

"If she at least gives us more clarity," Karin said. "Because I don't know why what's happening is happening, I just know it is."

Camie sighed, and then she put her hands together like she was pleading. "Well...uh...I don't really know how to say it...but, uh...Big G, hit me with the facts."

"That can't actually be a prayer that would work," Dabi objected to Bakugo.

"Hush," Shine said. "God doesn't care what our words are."

Perhaps she was right, because Camie's eyes faintly glittered.

"Crap," she said. "It got dark in here."

Though it was always dark in Rain Village. They had lit plenty of lamps and opened the window a little to let in the faint light of the house, so it wasn't really particularly dark.

"Uh...not more than before," Bakugo said.

"Oh..." Camie said. "Frick, it's seems kind of shadowy now. But my girl, Ino, she's got a light, right?"

"Ino's...not holding a light," Sai said, confused.

"I think she is seeing what's going on," Shine said, amazed. "Wow..this is a new level for me. Camie, your gift must really be quite strong."

"I don't really see anything else clearly, I just see shapes," Camie said. "That's all... I guess it's like this screen was in the way, and I didn't see anything, but now it's gone... It's too bad I can't talk to them."

"Are you sure you can't?" Momo wasn't really sure what was going on.

"Yeah, if I could they'd have noticed me by now," Camie said. She waved. "See? Nothing happened."

"At least she can tell us if something changes," Wally said hopefully. "This is weird, right?"

"Oh, yes," Shine said. "Shinobi are very strange."

[Some people might find this to be odd, but it's not really, if you think of the show. They're always having mental conversations in some kind of spiritual realm. Obito even identified it as such, I think, when he and Naruto talked, so it's reasonable to think Camie would be able to access it also. I'm not really doing anything the show doesn't already do, if that makes you feel better about the logic of this scene.]