twenty-five crows (朱) action/voice

[yourhatred]

[Private message to Sasuke, left this morning]

Are you still here, little brother?

[End message]

[Itachi has remained surprisingly unaffected by the current event, something he is positive of and incredibly glad for. While such events had helped move along his relationship with Law in the first place, he has no desire to add further complications on top of this.

Not wanting to remain cooped up in the house, and hoping that any chance for him to be affected from here on out has since past, the ninja can be found feeding birds near the fountain at the center of town. It's been a while since he's done this, despite it being a past-time he enjoys. It's also a good way to get out and learn about current events without simply sitting with his journal laid open all day.

The only odd thing about this scenario is that, despite the variety of birds that can be found within the village, the majority of those alighting to pick at the scattered breadcrumbs are crows.]

Comments

[generalflirt]

That's one theory for it, anyway. [Really, Itachi was spooky - he still is spooky - but he's not immediately something awe inspiring to him (like Katara or Law) right now, but he's also not something mundane. He's something that clearly makes a reaction in other people he knows are impressive, and related to someone he genuinely does fear.

Not that this plays out on his face with the easy smile on it which doesn't entirely meet his eyes] It could just be your gravitas.

[yourhatred]

Mn.

[Maybe that's it. Itachi doesn't think it's worth arguing either way.]

Or perhaps... [His tone is completely serious as he goes on.] Perhaps you are secretly keeping tabs on me for something more sinister.

[generalflirt]

[Masaomi takes a step back in mock-shock, but even as he does this he also plants his feet more firmly, ready to jump leap if necessary. It's something he does, look silly while actually being ready to fight. He then speaks in his own "serious" voice]

You caught me. I'm a secret Chuunin operative for [...crap what were the other villages? Shit fuck shit-- oh right] Cloud.

[yourhatred]

Ah.

[He maintains his casually stoic demeanor, tossing out a few more more crumbs to the birds.]

I suppose I would have to kill you, were that the case.

1/2

[generalflirt]

[three things happen all that once after that is said. The first is Masaomi slides a hand into his pocket, taking a firm grip on Linda's pokeball. The second is that he mentally prepares himself to get chakra towards his feet (and physically starts to, slightly) so he can make a better jump if needed. Finally, the third is that his eyes dart round the entire area, taking in his surroundings for what he can use as either an improvised weapon, improvised cover, or an escape route. This all happens in the span of a few seconds because while he's 90% sure that's a joke, it also sent a chill down his spine]

[generalflirt]

[Despite all that though, his voice is easy (if a tad more shakey) as he replies again]

That's no good, I'd just pop back in in a week.

[yourhatred]

[The ninja says nothing at first, then he turns his head slowly in the teen's direction, Sharingan lighting the irises of his eyes up bright red.]

Would you?

[generalflirt]

That's how it works here. [He said, taking a small leap backwards to put more distance between them. And trying to make it look like it was just his normal movements]

[yourhatred]

Most of the time.

[There can always be exceptions.

Itachi isn't going to attempt to make Masaomi one of them, of course.]

The Cloud village wasn't a bad choice. I don't know that one as well as some of the others, though Sand might have been a good option too.

[generalflirt]

[He snorts, mostly to dismiss how weirdly creepy that was, and lets out a long breath when Itachi drops the act and therefore he can drop the act with the knowledge the guy probably isn't serious.

Probably]

To be honest, I thought Sand would be too obvious and I couldn't remember any others except Sound, and nooo do I not want to be those guys.

[yourhatred]

Sound would have outed you immediately, not to mention made you a threat had it been true.

[If he wasn't such a polite guy, he might have pointed out that Masaomi probably wouldn't have made his radar no matter what village he'd been in.]

You must converse with those from my world often.

[generalflirt]

Well I am Shikamaru's roommate. [And student, sort of. And lives on the same floor as all the people from Konoha. Or well, most of them. And he considers the other guy his best friend circa Luceti] It sort of comes with the territory.

[yourhatred]

I see.

[Good to know.]

Do you have some interest in becoming a ninja yourself?

[generalflirt]

Would that even be possible, Itachi-san?

[yourhatred]

I will take your response as a yes.

And I would say it would work on a case by case basis, depending on how your world correlates with ours. And there's the fact that ninja are typically trained from a very young age.

[generalflirt]

Not to mention, I'm pretty sure the culture's a real clash for what I know from the 'buro.

[yourhatred]

It appears to clash with quite a good many places.

[generalflirt]

Well not everywhere can have child soldiers; we'd probably have less adults.

[yourhatred]

Do you consider ninja to be no more than soldiers, then?

[generalflirt]

You wouldn't consider it soldiers?

[yourhatred]

A ninja fights for their land, true. They are warriors, protectors, and many other things, but only in war time can they really be considered soldiers.

A young ninja generally performs simple tasks around the village, rarely anything more dangerous than an escort mission. As long as the abilities and the will to use them exist, there will always be a need for ninja, and the skills are best taught at a young age, while the mind is still fresh - much as the other educational basics are.

[generalflirt]

Aaaah, but it's an education about how to kill people and how to accept death as a component of it. [Or so is the impression he gets]

[yourhatred]

Do you think ninjutsu is only used for killing?

Do you believe accepting death is something only a killer needs to learn?

[generalflirt]

[And now... he's flashing back to that conversation he had with Green. His face falls, and his mood actually visibly sours. He shouldn't get into it here though, not in front of-]

Well, I don't understand anything, Itachi-san.

[Too late]

[yourhatred]

[The ninja sits patiently, urging the boy to continue through his silence, gaze curious.]