When the moon rose, Shuo was still sitting on the ruins.
He held two plates, white porcelain with little blue flowers painted around the edges. One was intact; the other had a chip in its rim, with traces of black ash still clinging to it. He just sat there in a daze, his gaze fixed on the plates, never shifting.
Sai stood beside him without speaking. The wind swept over, carrying the burnt stench of the ruins mixed with the lingering smell of blood, making their throats tighten. All of Konoha smelled like this now. After so many days of fighting, many people had died and whole stretches of houses had burned. That smell of char and blood had long since seeped into the soil.
"Are you planning to sit here all night?" After holding back for a long while, Sai finally spoke.
Shuo ignored him, his fingers stroking the intact plate, then suddenly turned it over. On the bottom was a line of tiny writing, so fine it looked carved with a knife tip. Without looking closely, it would have been impossible to notice: "For Shuo-the shopkeeper."
He stared at it for a full three seconds, then gently set the plate on the ground and slowly stood.
"Let's go."
"Where?"
"The Hokage Building." Shuo's voice was quiet. "Something to take care of."
The temporary Hokage Building was nothing more than a shabby shelter, even more miserable than the hospital's treatment tents, with wind leaking in on every side. Tsunade sat inside with a pile of scrolls before her, her brow furrowed tightly enough to crush a mosquito. Minato stood beside her, looking worse than he had a few days ago, the bloodshot lines in his eyes clearly visible.
Both looked up when Shuo came in.
"Your wounds healed?" Tsunade