twenty-three crows (朱) video

[yourhatred]

[There is a feminine face in view right now, and those who've run into her already will recognize this as Itachi in his currently female state.

However, something seems to be a little... off with Itachi today. For one thing, she's smiling quite brightly at the viewer, something the ninja never does. The feeling of not-rightness is worsened when she waves a hand in a friendly greeting.]

Excuse me, everyone, but I was wondering if you could tell me if you've seen my youngest son? I haven't heard from him all day and I'm getting a little worried.

His name is Sasuke and he's only seven - dark hair and dark eyes like mine. I'm sure he's just out with his brother somewhere, but you know how a mother frets.




((ooc: Itachi hasn't been affected by anything but the genderswap. However he looks an awful lot like his mother, and it's started to mess with him psychologically.

Replies will come from scarletfemme.))

Comments

[Action/hanging around on journal too]

[deathsdoctorine]

[It's gotten worse.

Law catches that entry and resolves to watch it like a hawk. She imagines a few Konoha nin might have a few things to say. Not to mention Sasuke. Not to mention Madara. And she doesn't like what that could mean in Itachi's current mental state. And what the fallout could mean.

So she will deal with it. Be the strong one here, as Itachi was the strong one during her breakdown on the roof.

That starts with finding Itachi.]

[scarletfemme]

[Itachi is out in the garden, tending to plants that don't need any further tending to. The whole area is immaculate.

She's humming faintly under her breath as she idly rearranges flower pots.]

[deathsdoctorine]

[Oh.

Oh.

She stretches out with her Haki. Trying to get a sense. She's been doing that a lot - the Haki activated non stop - and while she's improved a lot in a short time due to necessity, she never wanted it to come about like this.

Okay. Let's see how bad. Let's see if he responds to his name. Law can work from there reestablishing anchors to reality.]

Hey, Itachi... how's it going out here?

[scarletfemme]

[The voice is familiar, but she can't immediately place where. She glances up, thinking perhaps one of her sons had returned while her mind was elsewhere, but sees no one but the approaching woman.]

I believe Itachi is out training. Are you... from the academy?

[deathsdoctorine]

No, I'm not. Don't you recognize me?

[Much worse than she thought. Much worse.]

[scarletfemme]

[Itachi stares at her, blinking.]

I'm... sure I've seen you around. But... I can't place a name. Sorry.

[deathsdoctorine]

It's... Law. Trafalgar Law. Remember?

[It hurts. Like it would hurt if Itachi went home and then returned and forgot all about her and what they shared.

But she had been braced for that possibility. And being forgotten in a shift? She's prepared for that too.

... this? Is something else.

It hurts.

But that doesn't help anything, so she pushes past it to concentrate on bringing him back.]

[scarletfemme]

Law...

[She says the name as if it might strike a memory, but isn't certain. The cheerfulness fades from her features as she just continues to stare at the pirate.]

[deathsdoctorine]

That's right. Law.

[She steps forward to brush her fingers against Itachi's in a chaste gesture. Touch is such a primal thing... maybe it can spark something. Especially this gesture. Law's typical discreet gesture of affection.

Please...]

You know me very well.

[Voice] June 2

[endgames]

[Genies get terrible journal reception, who knew. Thanks to that, he doesn't see this until early Saturday morning.

If it weren't for seeing him (her?) talking to Naruto several days back, Shikamaru would've mistaken Itachi for his mother. He remembers her, vaguely. In the days when she was alive, and stopped by the Academy to see Sasuke.

Sasuke. His hands are utterly still.]

Haven't seen him in a long time.

[voice]

[yourhatred]

[When Itachi responds now he looks completely different from before. His hair is tied back and his Akatsuki robes are around his shoulders. He looks about as much like his old self as he can while still a woman.]

I have not either.

[voice]

[endgames]

[He breathes out, silent. The words on his mind go unsaid too - it's good to see him acting like himself, even if the look doesn't fit exactly.

Aside from the robes.]

Not like that, anyways.

[voice]

[yourhatred]

[If Shikamaru isn't going to mention the day before, then Itachi certainly isn't going to speak of it.]

Given the way things have been with him, I no longer know how to feel about his disappearances.

[voice]

[endgames]

[He sort of was - he meant seeing Sasuke as a non-murderous, seven-year-old. But he was vague on purpose. Just letting it slide, huh?]

It's the actual appearances that have bugged me.

[voice]

[yourhatred]

I am aware of the troubles he's caused you. I'm afraid much of the blame for that is mine.

[private]

[endgames]

It kinda is. [Bluntly. Because facts or facts, same as what he has to say next.] But Sasuke makes his own choices and should be held just as accountable - like for donning those robes.

[The same ones you're wearing now? Just noted. Itachi's acting much like himself, so he can imagine the reasons for their reappearance are less than sinister. He has a couple of ideas, actually, but it's still bothersome.]

We stopped being kids a long time ago.

[private]

[yourhatred]

...This is true. [As much as he hated to think about it. Even this was a better subject then... well, it wasn't too far from it, all said.]

In any case, I hope the current experiments haven't treated you too poorly.

[private]

[endgames]

Better off than you, I suspect. Worst of it was being mistaken for a stripper for four days.

[Voice] June 2 - Just around in the background

[deathsdoctorine]

[...

Well, it was too much to hope for that this would go completely uncommented upon. But this is not bad, all considered. So Law is just going to watch until this conversation goes private.

... she wouldn't put it past you to bring it up with her later. So. She will consider this forewarning then that a conversation might be in the works.]

[Private]

[endgames]

[He's pondering it. He'll know if it's worthwhile at all depending on how fast Law responds to the empty, private filter set up for her.]

[Private]

[deathsdoctorine]

[... fast, that.

She's not in the house right now. She's checking on the boat briefly, where she will catch a young Archie Kennedy playing on her deck. Settled on her rock on the pier, she doesn't answer immediately and she doesn't keep him waiting too long - she answers in that precise bit of time she thinks it's right to answer.

She wants to gather her thoughts first after all.]

... yes, Shikamaru?

[No surprise in her tone and the delicate face is tired. They both know she is aware of this. No need to dodge around that. Or that she knew he'd come calling.]

[Private]

[endgames]

Figured if anyone would've handled him, it'd have been you.

[Simply. Also this is kinda weird - he knew Law had been genderswapped thanks to journals, but still.]

[Private]

[deathsdoctorine]

[She nods.]

I went after him after that post. I've been watching it ever since.

... if anyone else asks? It was the experiment.

[That will be her story. This does not need to get out.]

[Private]

[endgames]

I doubt anyone other than Naruto will.

[Private]

[deathsdoctorine]

Aa. [Naruto.]

... he's unwilling to really talk to me about it either.