sirenspull | oo6

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oo6 | audio

[Sasuke is not doing well today.

He's pale, his hands are trembling, and he has to fight down the near-constant burning tightness in his throat, stinging at his eyes.

So close. He was so close-- and now it's gone, an imprint of smoke.

So he keeps the video turned off, takes a sip of water and smooths his voice as best he can before speaking.]

Obito, my cousin, is gone. His NV has been disconnected. Ino Yamanaka is also gone, but her NV seems to be functional.

I want to know what happened to them. Both of them.

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Her chakra isn't here. Unless there's some way to hide it that I dunno about.

[ There's a beat. It's strange to hear Sasuke enquiring after Ino. The name Obito pings his memory too but because his attention is on Ino and Sasuke, the recognition doesn't click as it should. ]

I've got her NV thing. Whatever th'hell you call it. S'still working all right.

[ Another pause. This is still a genjutsu, he tells himself but that mantra becomes a little less convincing every day. ]

[Damn it.

Of course Naruto would be loyal to Ino. And he's nothing if not determined, especially when it comes to tracking down his friends.

The parallel is unsettling.]

I know that, dumbass.

[A pause.]

How did you get her NV?

Edited 2012-10-20 08:27 (UTC)

Yeah, yeah, but you didn't figure I wouldn't see this? [ Naruto considers a moment, shakes his head. ]

I'll answer your question if you answer mine. Why're you askin' about her?

[ He could guess but it's easier to play dumb when that's what Sasuke apparently expects. ]

[He snorts.]

I don't care whether you see this.

I'm looking for Ino because she owns the shop I work at.

[He can't quite bring himself to say she's his boss. It's an issue of pride.]

[ But Naruto can! ]

So, what you mean is.

...

She's your boss.

[...Of course.

Sasuke's lip curls.]

In a sense.

She's totally your boss. You could'a just said that. It's not a big deal.

[ Yes, it is. To Naruto at least. Moreover it's a big deal to Sasuke which is why he didn't say it. ]

You're worried about her. Could just say that too.

Semantics don't matter.

[He grits his teeth.]

I'm not worried. I don't want anyone else targeting my hit. That's all.

[ He would comment on semantics, but the 'hit' part grabs his attention. ] Sasuke. You know that if you hurt her I'll find you and I'll break your arms.

[ To start with.

Naruto doesn't voice it like a threat because it isn't a threat; there is no violence in his tone, no venom. Instead it's casual, as though he's talking about the weather. It's simple fact. He will not stand for anyone hurting his comrades. Not even Sasuke.

He sighs. Shakes his head. ]

Except I'm pretty sure that's bullshit anyway. You're worried. You probably dunno what to do with that. That's fine. When was the last time you saw her? The eleventh?

I know.

[He doesn't bat an eyelash. Naruto threatening to break limbs is nothing new, especially where his friends are concerned. It doesn't faze him.

It does make him look away from the NV, from Naruto's face, before responding.]

You're my hit too, you know.

[He looks back--not that Naruto will be able to see it. The NV remains firmly on "audio".]

But it doesn't matter--I can't kill her here anyway. The Core messes with death. You're both safe until we get back to Konoha.

[And to the next matter at hand.]

Yes. The last time I saw her was the eleventh.

'My hit'. That's a different way of sayin' it. [ A more roundabout way of saying, 'I intent to kill you'. Likewise, Naruto isn't phased or surprised. Or hurt. Not so much. He's had time to acclimatize. ]

Here I thought you were aiming to kill me first.

[ It's wrong to say it so casually. Somehow he can. It's all about adjusting. He pauses then. ]

It matters. Kill her, hurt her. It always matters. [ More steel to his tone; that abates for a moment. ] That was when her chakra blipped. I can sense the whole city. No Ino. People go home, s'what I've heard.

[ Or they die, but he doesn't say that. ]

[He runs a hand through his hair in frustration.]

I never said that I didn't still intend to kill you both. I just said I won't kill you here. I'm going to get my revenge no matter what you say.

[He doesn't like the bite in Naruto's voice. It's unsettling. He feels it somewhere at the base of his spine, like the noise of a kunai scraping over a chalkboard.

And he's not afraid of saying it--from what he's heard, it seems like the most likely option.]

She's probably dead and coming back, if her NV is still online. You never answered my question.

[And for that matter--]

You can't sense the entire city.

[There's no way.]

Then you should remember what I said too, ne? You gotta go through me to get to any of them. [ And this part isn't casual. He made it a promise and he'll keep it. He's not here to dissuade Sasuke of his goal right now. Truly, words won't cut it in any case and Naruto knows that.

Broken bones might. Speaking of which-- ]

Don't.

[ Don't say she's dead. Don't even fucking go there. ] Could be that someone's found a way to block her chakra. [ Why not? This could be the case. He can't ascribe death as the most reasonable cause. Won't. ]

And yeah, I can. I can sense everyone here.

[ But he doesn't Explain how. ] ...

Ah. [ This pause is the pause of someone trying to look like they're not a little lost and failing. ]

...

What was the question again?

I remember.

[As if he could forget. Naruto has drilled it into his head a million times, with about the subtlety of a battering ram. It's all bullshit, but Naruto believes it, and he's not going to let go of it that easily.

So Sasuke lets it drop and moves to the next subject.]

I told you, the core messes with death. It's probably better for her if she is dead, rather than being held somewhere.

[That explanation irks him. He frowns at the screen.]

You expect me to believe you have enough chakra--and control over your chakra--to throw your senses out over the entire port?

[He rubs at the bridge of his nose.]

The NV, stupid. How did you get her NV?

Good. [ Then he doesn't have to say it again. Once was enough. Well, twice in this case. He'd rather wait for Sasuke to act on it; the time has to be right. This place -- if it's real, and he still isn't sure that it is -- throws a weird wrench in the works. Like its some kind of limbo. ]

I don't give a shit what the core does. No one is better off dead. I'm gonna keep looking for her instead of just thinkin' she's dead somewhere or however the hell this fucked up place works.

[ Not angry, but getting there. ]

You can believe whatever you want.

[ He doesn't care if Sasuke believes him or not on this one. Regardless, it's the truth. ]

Not stupid. Naruto. Naaa-ruuu-to! In any case, she left it behind when she went out. S'where I picked it up.

She could be tortured, or pressed into slavery, or chained up somewhere starving slowly. That's better than an almost certainly non-permanent death?

[It's irritating, actually--that Naruto still doesn't understand that some things are not worth living through. That sometimes you really are better off dead, even if it is permanent.

He moves on, voice cold.]

I know your name, stupid. [A beat.] You're at her apartment.

You're forgetting is how strong Ino is. [ A beat. Another. And considering Sasuke's just called him stupid, again-- ] Jerk.

Ino's tough. She's been through a lot. I believe in her. You can think whatever the hell you want, go ahead and think the worst but she'll always get back up and I'll be there to help when she does. So will the rest of her friends.

[ He eyes the screen for a protracted moment. ] Just like we'll be there to pick you back up. [ The shrug that follows is deceptively careless. ]

I'm keeping the place warm until she gets back but I'm gonna head out and do another sweep in a while. You can help if you wanna.

And you don't realize how weak she is, if you put faith in her so easily.

[He doesn't understand why Naruto is so relentlessly optimistic. He should hate Konoha too, but for some reason, he doesn't. Won't.

It's puzzling. Blue eyes flick up at him and away, and although the shrug is careless the words aren't. They're heavy with the bond that Naruto refuses to sever.]

She keeps getting up even when she knows she's lost, which is going to be what gets her killed.

[He thinks back to their spar. Her weakness, the implications behind it--she shared top in class with him; is that what he could have become if he'd stayed, soft and stubborn and--

He stops himself, exhaling. A look at the clock.]

I have work at six.

Heh. Who said anything about easily? She's earned it. [ Maybe it was before Asuma's death but it was probably after that Naruto really took note. Death unfortunately does that. ]

You're wrong. We succeed when we get back up, Sasuke. What kinda person would she be if she gave in like that? Where would you be if you gave in so easily, huh?

[ Work. A bizarrely mundane concept unless it's a mission. He almost asks about it but instead-- ]

S'alright, I'll just come around when you're done!

[He snorts. Whatever she's done to 'earn' it hasn't shown--at least not if their fight was anything to go by. If he'd been trying to kill her, she wouldn't have lasted a minute.]

You have to know when you've lost and when to accept defeat. You're going to fail anyway. Better to back out and work on improving for next time than go at it like a battering ram.

I am where I am because of years of training.

[Ugh. Naruto is nothing if not consistent.]

I get out of work at midnight.

Except you fell down sometimes. I saw ya'. You just got back up after. And sometimes you wouldn't give up, even though it almost killed you. [ Sasuke's record isn't exactly spotless. He might be a genius at certain things but that never made him infallible. If he really believes he did it all without a hitch then Naruto feels bad for him...

He also reminds himself to ask Ino about training if-- when they find her. ]

Accepting defeat is the dumbest thing I've heard all week.

[ But at least he has a time to show up. It does occur to him that Sasuke might be lying about the time he finishes but he's more willing to trust his word than not. Midnight means it'll be tricky, but Naruto's been learning fast about how to operate at night. ]

I'll see you then.

Because I knew I could. I'm stronger than Ino is. I weigh my risks and act accordingly.

[He's glaring at the screen now, even though Naruto can't see it. Fuck him and his bullheadedness, his inability to accept reality, his--

Argh.]

Don't. I have susano'o if I get into trouble. Stay inside after the sirens.

Edited 2012-10-21 17:29 (UTC)

Oh. So that's what happened that time with Haku. [ It doesn't even sound sarcastic. Just vaguely amused. Yeah, he's not buying it. Sasuke can be as impulsive as Naruto sometimes, depending. And if Sasuke did think things through back then, well, it implies a whole lot more.

He isn't sure what Susano'o is. It's not that creepy black fire but eitherway, Naruto has Kurama. So he just grins. ]

I've been doin' this for the last week. Don't go thinking I'm that easy to take out.

I'll see ya' later. [ He doesn't need to ask Sasuke's location, so he just gives the camera a wave and ends the feed. ]

I was twelve, you--

[But the screen is blank.

Sasuke clenches his jaw, unclenches, clenches again. He carefully sets the NV next to him so he doesn't succumb to the impulse to throw it at the wall, stalks into his living space, and conjures a clone to beat up.]

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