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

Days 58-60:

More time passed with them busily working in Rain.

They never seemed to run out of things to do. It was Wally's idea to offer to help the Village fix any broken pipes or anything else, which was easy for Team Zoe to do by combining their powers.

Temari could even clear the clouds overhead of a given spot if they needed a chance to paint or waterproof something out of the rain, which led to being able to insulate some things without having to put them under tents or tarps first--that sped it up quite a bit.

By the end for their first 10 days here, Rain Village was mostly in love with the team. Certainly no one had expected them to be so helpful.

And Team Zoe was enjoying it a lot more than they thought. The gloomy weather got to them, to be sure, but they were almost too busy to notice it after a while.

Anyway, Camie said, exercise creates endorphins, and that makes you happy, so the busier they were, the better to fight off the depression that too little sunlight can cause.

But even there, the sun kept coming out. It never stayed out for more than an hour or so, but it had never come out so often.

It felt random. But the pressure system, Momo said, must be shifting if it happened at all. At least they hoped so.

The villagers came out more whenever the rain stopped, so they met more of them.

Yukimaru introduced Naruto to the few other children in the Village he knew, and Naruto was a big hit with them too.

All in all, the visit seems to be going very unprecentedly well.

But Stone had made them cautious. They now realized that the lack of problems didn't mean none could surface. They were careful to look out for any sign of trouble.

But thus far, none had really appeared.

Also the in-team bickering just about stopped. No one had the energy for it now. They might get a little impatient or cross with each other, but there was no what Shine called "drama" going on.

Ino mostly felt like she avoided Sai though. She was still sorting out her thoughts about that...and she wished she didn't keep coming to the same conclusion--that any feelings she had would never be returned anyway, so she might as well just forget about it.

On the 66th day of the trip, Gaara finally got an answer from Sand about their financial plan.

He didn't think it would be an easy fight to win--at least without sending them more info on it.

But surprisingly, they had accepted it--it helped that they didn't have to send that many funds; they just had to agree to trade.

Also it helped that Gaara had been in Rain for over a week with no assassination attempts, which in itself had lost a few people bets in Sand when they heard about it.

This good news was worth a celebration, Shine said.

Camie jumped on that. "We should have a party like we did in Mist," she said. "Since we never got to throw one in Stone Village."

"A party?" Tenten pointed at the rain outside. "Sure...good idea. In the Village that barely has enough food to even survive."

"We could make stuff," Camie said.

"Momo is not your vending machine," Shoto insisted.

"I really don't mind," Momo said.

"I think you should." Tenten gestured at her. "Doesn't it make you feel like your 'quirk' is just a convenience to them?"

"No," Momo said. "I mean, some might treat me that way, but I like to think of it more as I can provide for the needs of my team and friends, and I like that. I mean, it makes me feel needed, I guess."

Tenten hadn't thought of it that way, apparently.

"We could never have done this mission without you," Shine told Momo frankly. "Our lack of funding would have been a much larger problem if you weren't here. But you're more than your quirk--Tenten is right."

"But it's a gift, just like the other gifts," Momo said. "I really don't mind... It sounds like a nice idea, a party. I'm sure this Village has never had one before."

Matsuri was still there--somehow she'd convinced them that it was okay for her to linger 4 whole days. And she said, "That's a good idea, really."

"See? It's not just me," Camie said. "We should totes throw a party."

"Actually," Gaara said, "it's sort of a fitting ending. We'll have to leave Rain Village soon."

"We will?" Hanabi almost sounded disappointed, of all things.

"They've been more than welcoming," Gaara said. "But unfortunately, winter is well underway already, and I think the Leaf should get home before too much snow has time to fall."

"But what about Cloud Village?" Shoto asked.

"Cloud wouldn't even know to find us here," Gaara said. "So...I think we can rule it out. Maybe next year we can visit Cloud, if things go well."

"Aw, but we should visit Cloud," Camie pouted.

"I suppose it could be we weren't supposed to," Shine said. "Though, I admit, I really felt like we'd make it there after all on this trip. Somehow it feels right, making a full sweep...but plans do change. We got this Village instead, maybe."

"Well, Rain needed it the most," Wally said. "It's no big deal. We can find Cloud anytime, right?...I mean...if they let us."

"Somehow I'm not ready for it to be over yet," Ino said quietly.

"I know," Hanabi said. "This has still been awesome, even when it wasn't... Do we have to call it off?"

"I think we can extend our stay here another week at most," Gaara said. "But now the paperwork has come through, I feel confident that we can persuade Leaf to join us, and then perhaps Mist will also."

"I'm not so sure you need to wait for that." Hinata had just walked in holding a scroll. "I was just practicing my ninjutsu outside, and I got this from Neji. I think it might have some good news, because it's longer than usual."

"You were outside but you're not wet?" Dabi said.

"I was keeping the water off me," Hinata said.

"I so forgot you could do that," Camie said. "That's so cool."

"Well, tell us what he said." Momo sat up from reading her pocket encyclopedia she consulted for how to make items on the road.

Hinata unrolled the escort and read it, and then her eyes got even larger than usual.

"This is so unexpected," she said, rather loudly for her. "Neji-chan says that he mentioned our plan to help Rain Village to the Mizukage--was that okay? I told him we would reach out to Mist, but I never said he should mention it to her."

"I...well, I guess it's fine." Gaara wasn't sure. "She would have heard about it sooner or later."

"I would expect Neji to be more discreet," Temari said.

"I assume Mei has earned more of his trust since we left him--wow, almost a month ago," Shine said. "But she's a wise woman. I think it's fine."

"It's more than fine," Hinata said. "Mei-sama liked the idea more than we expected her to. I... He says she thinks Rain Village is a lot like Mist Village, trying to change their record..."

"Oh, I could see how that would appeal to her," Wally said.

"And she wanted to help them the way we helped her," Hinata read on. "And...Niji and Moya and Sotetsu and Kiriame all agreed with her...and they and Neji asked around the Village to see if anyone wanted to help the Kazekage in his efforts, and a lot of people did..."

"You can't be serious," Temari said. "There's no way this would happen twice."

"I think it did," Wally said. "What did they say?"

"There's a list of resources." Hinata held it out to Temari. "But they donated things also. Food...supplies...and even money. And here's a note from Mei herself."

Gaara read the note out loud--they could almost imagine Mei's smile when she wrote it:

"I hope you won't consider this overstepping my bounds, but I just couldn't resist when I heard about it. It's a marvelous idea, making allies out of Rain Village. It might take some time to get our council here in Mist to agree to it, but please take this, a token of my and the Islanders support at least.--I really think there's nothing your team can't do, Lord Gaara. Be sure to inform us if anything changes."

"I suppose, from a practical standpoint," Shikamaru said, "Mei could use another ally that wouldn't be chary of Mist's past, and Rain would have no reasons to be, considering. And Mist didn't have the most advanced technology either. Maybe that would appeal to them."

"It's a long trip to them," Temari said. "That would raise costs for sure...but I guess if the items were worth it..."

"More likely Leaf would take them and resell them," Shine said. "That's how it always is...rebranding, you know...but their support is wonderful. Wally, it's like the book of Acts. 'Each gave and shared what he had.'"

[Funny she should say that, because this story in many ways mirrors the book of Acts. I've said this in other books, but each of my fics in a different show had a Bible parallel...not on purpose; I just write them and then I notice that there's a theme. World Crossed is Genesis, RWBY is Exodus and Judges too, probably. MHA is the 4 Gospels. This story is Acts, and my X-Men fic is the Epistles. If I ever write another one it might be Revelation. This is based on the order I wrote them in originally, not the order I published them in, by the way. And again, it wasn't intentional, but once I realized they were parallel to the Bible, I thought it was really cool how it worked out. Like The Chronicles of Narnia. I guess you write what you know.]

"But how to get it here..." Wally said. "I guess you could use Neji as an anchor."

"I think I will," Shine said. "And it would be nice to have a visit with him again."

Hinata brightened. 

"That's nice. I didn't really get to say goodbye to him before," Hanabi agreed. "I can show him all the things I've learned how to do."

This plan was amenable to everyone, and Rock Lee was even glad to get the chance to hear from Neji in person.

* * *

"Is something bothering you?" Shine asked Ino, after the meeting was over and the others had gone about their business and Ino was going to go about hers.

Ino froze. "Did...? Why would you ask?"

"I've noticed you've been quiet the past few days." Shine had the intuition of a mother when something was off with one of her young students.

Ino was actually glad to get a chance to tell her. She'd considered taking Camie's suggestion before but had been too embarrassed to bring it up.

"Can we talk more privately?" she asked.

Shine nodded.

A short time later they were sitting under one of the awnings outside. The Rain would drown out pretty much any conversation farther than a few feet away.

Shine had her ever present coffee mug, and Ino had tea.

"So what's up?" Shine reiterated.

"Camie never said?"

"Nope...but I take it it's not with her, since you've been acting normal with each other. My guess was Sai, but I wasn't positive."

Ino gaped at her. "How do you do that?"

"Years of practice and living with people constantly will do that." Shine sipped her coffee. "I was right?"

"Yeah...but...it's silly."

"Try me."

Ino drew another breath. "Well...uh, you may have noticed that...um, I have kind of...had a bit of a thing for..."

"Yes." Shine nodded, mercifully spared her finishing that sentence. "What about it? I'm sure you didn't tell him so."

"Wait...how are you sure?" Ino wouldn't have guessed that if she were Shine.

"Because I am nearly 90% sure Sai would have asked me what you meant if you had," Shine said. "Me or Camie, who would have told me."

"I'm starting to see why people think you're scary, Shine-sensei," Ino said bluntly.

"Sorry, I have a habit of doing this too much," Shine winced. "I'm afraid I like to guess to save time, but people need to say things themselves too."

"No, please." Ino waved. "I'd rather not have to say it if you can figure it out...but I guess then I have to tell you my real problem...or do you know that?"

"Only what I imagine I would feel like in your shoes, but I don't want to get ahead of things," Shine shrugged. "You can just tell me. I won't judge--outside."

"What?"

"I'm kidding." 

Ino tugged her bangs.

"I thought it was just...an attraction at first, you know," she said, "but nothing more. He was kind of hard to read at first...nice, but...hard to read. But now that we've spent more time together I realized I'm starting to like him a lot more. But I also know him well enough now to know that...well, you already said it, really."

"You think he wouldn't understand it."

"Yes."

Ino half hoped Shine would tell her she wasn't giving Sai enough credit.

But instead Shine was nodding.

"I think you're right," she said. "Right now Sai would not understand those feelings. They are the most complicated kinds of all, I think. At least next to our ones about God, which are often contradictory enough to confuse us all. But yes...it's the closest relationships that are the hardest to navigate, strangely enough."

"It's true, actually." Ino nodded. "I wish it wasn't...so... Dang it." She put her tea down and rubbed her forehead. "I was hoping I was worried too much... So...there's no way I can confess."

"If you want my honest opinion on this, I'll give it to you. Or if you want to decide for yourself...I can, I suppose, respect that."

"Go ahead." Ino glanced up. "I need to get someone's take on it. I'm not getting anywhere thinking about it. I keep asking myself if I just...should go for it, but then I think, am I sure that what I even want? Because...there's no way to know if..."

"How strong are your feelings? Sorry, I know that's an awkward question, but I think it would affect my advice. Would you say it's like with Sasuke?"

"No, not the same," Ino said. "I know Sai better than Sasuke. And...I guess sometimes I feel like Sai needs protecting."

"So is there pity mixed up in that?" Shine probed.

"Pity? Only when thinking about that Foundation, but I guess... I wouldn't use the word pity--protectiveness more."

"I understand...and that's not a bad thing, in some amount, between a couple," Shine said. "But I think even that tells you something about Sai. He's very new to all this. It's been less than a year since that Foundation even dissolved, and he left it only a little while before then. Is that what you've been thinking about?"

Ino sighed. "I always end up liking people who don't like me back. I was trying to ignore it at first once I realized Sai doesn't really seem to notice girls anyway."

"If I may, I think he does, but he doesn't really have any filters to know what he thinks about it. Probably this also scares him. The Foundation had no girls in it, and he has no idea how we think. Sakura has not been the easiest girl to start off with either, whatever she intended. I think you, Camie, and Momo have all helped him understand that girls can be more gentle and kind than that...but it's only been a couple months. Emotions do not heal that quickly."

"Yes...and he's had a hard time with that..." Ino said. "See? I can't just...you know..."

"Ino, I'm impressed that you've thought of all this already. It's not the kind of thing I've heard any of you shinobi think of before," Shine said. "I suppose you just don't have a lot of people to ask for advice in this area..."

Ino shook her head. "No...well, it's...stupid, right? I should just move on."

But Shine didn't agree with her right off.

She pursed her lips together. "Okay...I'll tell you what I think and you do with it what you want: Sai has come a long way in a short time. That being the case, I've never actually taught anyone who had to suppress all their emotions like him, and I have no basis for the timeline of recovering from that. Because everyone is different, even normal people, and some people, they don't want that till they're adults, and others (like me), they want it even when they're young kids. We really can't generalize about this. That said, Sai already wants to have people he can think of as family and close friends, and I do think that he will get there in time, if he keeps going on as he's begun. I think he will discover that side of life at any time in the near or distant future."

Ino didn't know if that was good or bad news. "So...you think it will change?"

"I don't know when, but it's possible it won't take as long as one might expect," Shine said. "But I don't think this it will take only months, probably. And I agree with you that right now he wouldn't understand them, and they could be quite overwhelming. They are for us, and we're at least taught to expect them."

Ino nodded thoughtfully. "So...what do I do?"

"I think you can't do anything right now," Shine said. "If what you have for Sai is real and deeper than a crush, it will not go away in a few months. Unless you focus on someone else, probably. I think, for now, you had better not limit yourself to one person...unless you are absolutely sure that would be a wise idea. See...I don't think there's only one person for most people. Of course, no one knows that but God Himself.  But you're not even 20 years old yet, so to assume you only have one option would be a big jump right now."

"Yes...but I really don't know if I want to have a lot of options."

"I can see that... I felt the same way." Shine sipped her coffee again. "What I mean is, this will make you more miserable if you think that way. So try not to. I think you should keep being Sai's friend. Be the best friend you can be to him--but keep it to friendship as much as you can. I know, we're human, and the lines get blurred really easily, so don't feel bad if you have trouble with it, but don't go out of your way to cross that line. Then, in time, if Sai has come to think he wants to have that in his life, and you still like him, I see no reason not to go for it."

"Really?" Ino brightened a little.

Shine held up a hand. "You need to be sure first. Sweetie, if he wasn't sure, it would be no different than taking advantage of him, and that's not any more okay for a girl to do to a guy than a guy to a girl."

[PREACH!]

"That would be horrible," Ino shuddered.

"But it happens, all the time," Shine said. "And it's the best way to break trust also. So...you see what I'm saying?"

"I do," Ino said, a bit sadly. "I thought you would tell me this...but I hoped it would make me feel better."

"I think I do have a thought that might make you feel better,  Shine said more gently. "I think it's really helped Sai to figure this stuff out, now that you've become friends and Camie also. He really needed someone to be patient with him so he had room to learn how to talk to people. Even if it's not romantic, at least you can know you are making a difference... Just one word of caution to that."

Ino nodded again, questioningly.

"Make sure you never talk down to him," Shine said. "I would tell Camie this too, honestly, if she were here. Sai is new to emotions, but he's a very smart person. He just needs to figure out how his heart and his head connect more often. I think it won't be long before he starts to notice that other people insult him quite often, and he'll figure out what condescension is soon enough. Once he does, he won't like it, because no one likes it. It's great to help him, but always keep in mind that he's a smart person and one day he may not even need help with it anymore. In fact, I think he might very well surprise most of us. There's a clarity in the way Sai sees things that I find very rare and could be the result of overcoming that kind of brainwashing but still remembering what it was like. I hope he never loses that."

"That's interesting." Ino forgot she was sad for a moment. "I've noticed a few times that some of what he says is also more right than other people. Is that what you mean?"

"Yes. Innocence is not always folly." Shine gestured. "Often it's more wisdom to be innocent."

"Hmm," Ino said. "I agree then...it is unique." She got a little dreamy-eyed for a second, which Shine thought was cutely funny, but she kept that to herself.

Then Ino straightened. "I see what you mean, though. People don't like to be underestimated... But all this is just not a very satisfying answer."

"I know that waiting sucks," Shine agreed. "But you know, it doesn't hurt to think things out, not rush into them, for your sake also. I want you to be happy. If you choose someone who would not love you the same way you loved them, or like you the same (since we're not quite to love yet), I would be sad for you. You should have more than that."

Ino flushed. No one had ever said that to her before...well, except for Camie about Sakura, but this was even more personal.

Shine noticed she was embarrassed and moved on, nicely. "But I think there's hope, I really do. So, don't give up either. I'm just advising to be careful and not try too hard, not to not try at all. Use wisdom, that's all. After all, Solomon said, 'To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven...a time to love and a time to hate...a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.' The trick is not to decide something is always off limits, but know when it is and it isn't, the true art of how to handle people. And I don't always get it right, but keeping that in mind has helped me a lot."

"I guess this...world thing gives you special insight into people's lives." Ino recalled that the others had talked about that.

"It's true that when you hop from one reality to the other, it opens your eyes to things other people don't see. The comparison makes it easier." Shine gestured. "But I know that it comes with a cost. I can see things about people I don't always want to see. I can see changes I don't want to notice. And it can make it hard to trust and to try hard to change things, if you see the details of them too well."

"Yes, but the lack of understanding stuff is annoying," Ino interjected. "I mean, you can't really think that it's actually better to be that way."

"Oh, no, I prefer understanding. I just know that wisdom is not everything. Solomon, the one I just mentioned, was the wisest human to ever live, and he ended his life lamenting how everything in it was empty. Wisdom was good, but it didn't make him happier. Work was good, but his wisdom made him see how work ultimately doesn't do much for you, because you die and go on. I suppose that's why Jesus promised that our works would last forever if they were done to Him... We like to feel we matter beyond our lifespans."

How true that was.

Shine looked back at Ino carefully. "The blessings of this world aren't bad, and other people we meet are the closest thing to eternity we'll touch here. Human beings are the best thing to invest in because they may last longer than your lifetime...but even they are just a part of it all. And if one will not accept it, it's not the end of the world. I hope you see what I'm saying. All the things we see about people are great--they're good to know...but they will not guarantee you anything, nor should they. We're not the master of other people's fates, just our own choices. So, don't make it a burden to yourself to save everyone all the time."

"I...well...I don't think I do." Ino swallowed.

Shine smiled at her, fondly, Ino thought.

"Mayne not yet...but I've sensed the potential in you to try to take up the burdens of other people, and that's good, sometimes. We should bear one another's burdens, when someone can't do it alone...but it's very, very easy, if you have a soft heart, to go too far, to try to be what only God can be to them. Our best effort is to point people back to the real answer. That's my goal in life. I used to try to do too much, and I got so, so tired." She rubbed her shoulder as if remembering it. "I still can stretch myself pretty thin, and I would prefer if you don't make the same mistake. I think you could do a lot of good, Ino, I really do. I want you to do it without hurting yourself though. Make sure people are taking care of you also, or at least that you have time to rest, to feel cared for by someone or something."

She nodded at the sky. "It's the only way to go through life without being bitter because people are never going to respond as well as we wish. Honestly, I think maybe we expect too much. Maybe we get the best results we can, but we don't know it. I think that applies here too...with Sai, but also with Sakura and the other people you've tried to help. I'm sure it sucked when Sakura shoved you away, and I would never say she was right to do that--but it won't be the last time someone spits in your face for trying to help them. I want you to know that, when it happens, it doesn't mean you did wrong. Some people may decide they don't need you anymore, and instead of being gentle about it, they'll be violent. It's wrong, but it's what they do. If you work at it, you may learn to spot that early and sidestep it before it happens."

Ino was listening to her carefully. She felt sad...but she sensed that Shine was correct.

What Sakura had done was wrong, but Ino also could have seen it coming if she'd realized that Sakura eventually wouldn't be satisfied to lean on her anymore. She didn't know what warning signs she might have missed--with Sakura it was pretty hard to tell...but in the future, she would like to know it was coming.

"And with Sai," Shine went on, "I can't see he'd ever be that cruel...but there's a time when he may not need your help, or he'll pull back--try to see if he's okay on his own--and you'll have to let him. And if, past that point, you still have a connection, you'll know it's mutual...but just make sure you don't get that confused with people never needing help at all. They still need it, just less of it. And the better you know someone, the more you know when they'll need it and when they won't."

She tugged her hair. "Does that make sense? I realize I just talked a lot... See? Even I'm not sure always."

Ino nodded thoughtfully. "I understand... No one has ever told me this kind of thing before. But Wally already...and you, now... Did you discuss this?"

"Actually no," Shine chuckled. "Though we've talked about you all of course, but I didn't even know he talked to you."

"It was weeks ago now, but he was really encouraging, and I thought it was strange because no one else thinks this...habit I have of taking people up is anything but sentiment or vanity." Ino pushed her own hair back, embarrassed.

Shine scoffed. "Because they won't do it. Don't listen to them. It's a beautiful thing to have a heart to care about others. Do you know how often I wished I knew someone like you when I was a kid? Sometimes I did meet people Iike that, and I think it was the only reason I got through my teens as well as I did. It's very important, and you shouldn't disparage your talents in this area."

"I never thought it was a talent," Ino admitted. 

"Like we said, it's mercy, interaction, things like that, it's a gift," Shine insisted. "And you can develop it on purpose, too. I'm only telling you all this to warn you what pitfalls to avoid if you do. It will make it easier, but you have to learn a lot of it on your own too. I really can't wait to see how it turns out though. Sometimes you meet people and just know they have a special gift, and it gets hard to wait for them to realize it... I hope I'm not pushing too far."

"No, no..." Ino was more mystified by such strong words than she was overwhelmed.

https://youtu.be/s6VslPcxhs4

["Try"--P!NK--I thought this song matched up with the conversation pretty well. Love my girl Ino getting some encouragement. She's so underrated.]