IC/OOC Contact

[soggypastry]

This is Lightning; leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.


[ooc: Good for IC plotting or OOC contact if you can't nab me anywhere else. Just specify if IC or OOC, and what format for IC communication.]

Comments

[Locked Text + Action]

[soggypastry]

And how much longer is that going to take? Three to four weeks?

[Locked Text + Action]

[beforethedarkness]

it comes off first week of april

[Locked Text + Action]

[soggypastry]

[Three weeks. Okay. Time to step things up. Depending on where he is, Sasuke might be able to hear footsteps and pawsteps closing in on him at this point.]

You planning on heading alone or is Obito going with you?

[Locked Text + Action]

[beforethedarkness]

[He does hear them, but that doesn't change there from being a pause before he texts back.]

i dont know

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[The pawsteps close in first, Zan's eyes gleaming in the dark as he leads Lightning towards Sasuke, but he stays at his trainer's side when she finally does get there, forgoing text to speak instead, voice quiet but firm.]

Have you even told him you're planning on leaving?

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

Not yet.

[He's not meeting either of their eyes, a small sigh leaving him when he finally puts his gear away.]

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[For her part, Lightning keeps her gear on even as she crosses her arms over her chest.]

So what's your plan? Wait till your arm heals, head to Cianwood, and then what? Come back or fly somewhere else?

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

To keep going. Keep training. Keep seeing the world, train my team in different kinds of conditions and make them as strong as I possibly can.

... Regardless of what I do in the future, I can't afford to stop training.

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[She nods softly at that, understanding. At least he's waiting till his arm is back in shape, too.]

Just make sure you tell him before you leave. I'm pretty sure that him chasing after you would throw a wrench in any plan you've got.

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[beforethedarkness]

I know.

[That prompts a sigh from him, and he runs his good hand through his hair.]

I'm still not sure if I want him with me.

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[soggypastry]

[She shifts her weight at that, fingers tapping her arms as she watches him.]

I can't say I blame you, but just running off in the middle of the night isn't going to do you any favors. [a soft tilt of her head.] You really should talk to him before you go.

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

I know it won't. That's why I'm bothering to say something before I go.

[But, at the second statement he falls silent, not sure of how to answer her or if he even wants to.]

[Action]

[soggypastry]

Yeah. To me. [Zan's ears flick as Lightning sighs rather heavily. She appreciates that, but...] Would you have said anything to him or left a note to be passed on?

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

... I'm going to say something.

[Action]

[soggypastry]

So long as you do.

[And with that, her posture eases a little. She's not going anywhere, but she won't say anything else unless Sasuke does. Enjoy your bodyguard, Sasbutt. She's just as stubborn as you.]

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

...

Why bother with me.

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[A shrug.] Because you're under my protection. Nothing else to it.

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

... It bothered you, didn't it. Hearing that we're effectively part of our village's military.

[He pauses a beat, his eyes flicking to her briefly before he looks ahead again.]

Is it that strange?

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[soggypastry]

[a soft 'hmm'; no denial but no acceptance.]

In my world, yeah. [She looks up at him, moving her bangs from her eyes.] The people in my world can't join the military until they're sixteen or older. Training from six years old is pretty much unheard of.

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

During war time, any kids with combat talent were trained and conscripted. It's considered an honour to be talented and chosen as part of Konoha's defenses that young.

But, during peace times - like it is for me - the minimum age is generally 12 and most missions we go on aren't even close to life-threatening in order to help build our experience and get us ready for more dangerous missions later. Some kids are talented enough to be exceptions and are picked up younger, but it doesn't happen a lot.

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[An honor. Right. Kids who don't belong on the front lines end up stuck there because the adults are clearly sane. No wonder this kid's so busted up about revenge.]

And where are the adults in all of this? Hiding and giving you orders?

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

No. More often than not they're the ones taking the more dangerous missions that lower-ranked ninja can't handle.

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[Shouldn't have to handle. His comment about how it's an honor to be chosen so young keeps her from asking if there's even a choice in the matter for them, but she rubs her forehead anyway. And here she was thinking Cocoon was messed up.]

So what Obito said about missing-nin...I'm guessing those are the ones that defected and left?

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

... Yes. To turn your back on the vows you made upon becoming a ninja... To a village, that missing nin is one proven to be disloyal and a serious threat -- containing secrets in their bodies and minds that they can sell or even reveal in their death at the hands of an enemy.

The sentence for a missing nin is death, without exception.

[And knowing he would go that far to pursue Itachi... He didn't know why, but the notion bothered him at the very least.]