eluvio | [TEXT] UN: STOPMESSAGES

Got it. [ He thinks to add another reminder about not killing anyone, but... Suigetsu understands it by now. Perhaps it's just that it feels as if their dynamic has shifted since Sasuke himself violated his own code of ethics. But to show any sign of his doubt is to worsen the problem.

Suigetsu is his teammate but neither of them are comfortable using many other words to describe their relationship. ]

In that case... be cautious. We still don't know what people here are capable of.

(stopping in the doorway for a moment, looking over his shoulder.)

Whaaat, are you worried about me? (teasing him, smirking a crooked smirk.) I'll be fine. I'm really hard to kill, y'know.

(then he's gone with a hand lingering back to wave, before that follows after its second in view.)

[ Suigetsu's quick with his exit and to Sasuke it's a kind of blessing in disguise because it saves him from having to respond to or even acknowledge his question. Worried? That sounds like too strong a word. Suigetsu's right that he's impervious to almost all forms of attacks but there are too many unknowns to factor in now, far too many to allow him any sense of ease.

Did he ever have one anyway? Maybe he should visit Bajikan to relax after all... but instead he uses up an hour or two exploring more of the ship proper, too used to being cooped up thanks to Orochimaru and needing to force himself to at least respond to messages somewhere else. It's a lot more claustrophobic than he could've imagined, being trapped out here with only the illusion of real ground beneath his feet. Somehow the room's more comfortable.

He'll be back in it by the time Suigetsu is done anyway, laboriously attempting to one-handedly sharpen a kunai against a self-made whetstone. Read: a hunk of rock he stole from the atrium and cut into a smaller size. ]

(fighting with the black market vendors adds one small excitement to his day, but it'd have been far better to be given permission to teach them a lesson in trying to rip someone far stronger off.

permission... that's a word that sits oddly with him, right now. is he obeying sasuke out of familiarity, in the sense that one would for the sake of the "good old days", or because a large part of him still feels like he wants to? whatever the reason, it still runs parallel to the caution he's taking while on board the eluvio. while there were many places to run while landlocked, after his slaughters in the mountains of the land of water so long ago, the eluvio is too small.

while his thoughts coincide with sasuke's, suigetsu makes his way back with a series of new, shiny weapons on his hip. kusanagi sits along so as to not be disturbed by the others. then, the sheathed daggers that look nothing like the more familiar kunai — which proved impossible to find — sitting in a bag and wrapped gratuitously in thick paper to keep them undamaged. overkill from a shady dealer, but suigetsu can't sniff at their blade care. finally, the plain wire on a spool on his belt with his water bottles, strong and conductible.

suigetsu found one sword that ended up appealing to him and came with a bag of necessary cleaning components. so when his arm pools beneath sasuke's door and slaps blindly at the button to open it for the rest of his body, the mist ninja looks particularly overburdened with supplies.)

I took a while, sorry. (a default apology, apparently fake due to the pleased smirk on his face.)

Eeehh, look at you keeping busy. (readily marches over once his arm's reformed at his shoulder, beginning to pile the goods at the end of sasuke's bed.) It's so crowded in the black market, Sasuke, but your directions got me though the worst of it. That was a nice shortcut, as always.

Edited 2017-03-16 01:57 (UTC)

[ Even the hint of a disturbance outside has his eyes instinctively lightening to red before Suigetsu's fingers ever seep up beneath the entryway, viewing a consciously controlled blob of water as amorphous glowing chakra instead. He'd tried to describe it to Suigetsu once when the far chattier ninja had asked, taking a break out beneath stars that they're now more intimately surrounded by, but rustles of other shinobi in the distance had interrupted his attempt and cut him short. They always had to keep moving.

Now everything's so still. ]

As I said it'd be. And I'm always busy. [ Consciously he deactivates the sharingan before glancing back over, even setting the communicator down altogether when blades begin to overtake his mattress. ]

... I don't believe you lifted this much without being noticed. Didn't I say to be subtle?

(after the many times he's walked in on the sharingan active and glowing at him in the dark room of inns, or waking up at a smouldering campfire to them pointing out into the trees, suigetsu's unbothered now. desensitized.)

Don't underestimate me, I got each different kind from separate shops.

(keeping his sword at his hip with kusanagi on the other, not exactly wanting to place it on the bed with the rest of the items. his hands find the bags and places each individual item in a small spread.) After that, when you get noticed, no one really wants to fight someone with two swords and a whole bunch of scary looking wire. But that was only by a passerby who made clicks instead of words.

(motions to the daggers and the wire.)

These are all yours, I don't need any now that I've got a sword. They didn't have any of our kunai or shuriken, so these ones are the closest I could find that had a similar balance and weight. (mindlessly fusses with the layout as he speaks, thumbing the paracord wrapping the hilt of one dagger.) Lastly, the wire's conductible in the way you like. According to the guy selling it...

I don't really trust them to know, so you should try it out first to check.

[ Sasuke's quiet even if he has more questions regarding Suigetsu's methods, an already overactive mind turning slowly paranoid in the absence of any concrete goals, but he considers it an exercise of his own willpower to let it go. He's made his points clearly and Suigetsu's always been a more competent ninja than others give him credit for. When it comes to stealth few surpass Mist nin, be they incessant chatterboxes or not.

He abandons his current task in order to start his inspection of the new assortment of weaponry one by one, relying on clean cuts from hyper-focused lightning blades at his fingertips to slice through cord keeping wrapping paper in place. His channeling will get better, that's the thing to keep in mind. Not the necessity. Not the sudden need to adjust to a one-handed lifestyle. He weighs the first in his palm, taking a few perfunctory swipes at the air before it's replaced instead with the spool of wire at Suigetsu's suggestion.

This he handles with perfect ease, teeth pinching at metal and drawing it out taut with enough distance that he can see it comfortably. There's no warning -- and in his mind, no need -- when he suddenly generates a current through the supposedly conductible alloy, face illuminated with blue sparks as he calmly watches one or two attempt to jump before dissipating in the air. Only then does he loosen his grip, smoothly rolling it back up onto the spool. ]

It isn't good, but it's temporary. Bajikan may have better answers. [ ... ]

What did you find for yourself?

(sasuke looks more troubled than usual and suigetsu can place it; he's always been able to read his teammate like a book. what to do about it is another matter entirely, the odd distance between them at a far larger gap than there was — and maybe that's his own fault, since he initiated that visceral argument they'd never experienced from one another. but somehow, even though he's forced himself to chill out on that front, it feels like they're both to blame.

stares at this guy from konoha forced to fight in a war of contrition before, during, and after a very literal one. watches as he fiddles with blades and wire. suigetsu doesn't understand it, this new goal to protect a village that's managed to ruin and scorn him since he could breathe the fire they claim represents their will. or the people in it, who've been nipping at his heels just waiting for his suffering to break him down to some hollow shell they can fill up with bullshit. even the "smaller" issue of getting his arm blown off and refusing to acknowledge it, acting like it's normal instead of embracing why it's not—

sasuke finishes speaking and suigetsu raises his eyes from his partner's empty sleeve. he didn't hear a word he said.)

Huh?

(himself? what'd he find?)

Ah, this thing. (looking down to shake the unwarranted and unwanted discourses from his head, waving idly, not off to a particularly good start with this replacement sword held tightly to one hip.) It's boring, but it'll get the job done. That's all I need to tide me over until we get home, so... I guess it's fine...

(it reminds him to hand kusanagi back with a practiced tug of the sheath from a more respectful place at the side he draws from, balancing it on the fingers of a flat hand, offered out like it was brought over on a silver platter. they're the only thing he's ever been gentle with, caring with, and the blade nestled away will look sharper and cleaner than it had been a day before. with all that's been going on, at least one of them looks brand new.)

Ira has more weapons like this, but the only fighters I've seen there throw them around like barbarians. We could go check later, though the atmosphere won't be very good for people like us. What do you think?

[ Sasuke's head lifts a split second before Suigetsu's averted his eyes and the direction of his stare isn't missed. It causes him to tense, jaw set and eyes fractionally narrowed before they too purposefully lower to the indicated chokuto. He takes it, a far more familiar weight and sets it with less care -- more familiarity -- down at his side.

It ran him through just a few days ago. He'd woken from a night terror about it last night.

Does Suigetsu have them too? He's never asked; he's never asked anyone anything like that. It's easier to wonder up here, as the days remain dark but feel longer. ]

I haven't experienced it so I can't say. If we go, we should limit the amount of time we spend there. Ten minute intervals, maybe. [ Otherwise it's too dangerous. For everyone else. ]

(refusing to acknowledge that they've spotted one another, eyes sticking to his own sword.)

It's kind of a nagging irritation, but it grows the longer you're there. Soon enough, all you wanna do is fight.

(by the time he left, he didn't have the best control over himself and there was most certainly bloodshed. something that's omitted from this conversation, as well as something else that needs to be said and never does. "maybe we shouldn't go together", a thought that gums up his jaws and keeps them shut tight.

anger's the last thing he wants sasuke to feel towards him — he's seen it at work countless times already.)

If you say ten minutes is good, then that's fine with me, Sasuke. (a pause, considering.) Now, or later?

[ "Soon enough, all you wanna do is fight."

Well, the cynic in him wonders if he'd feel a difference, or if Suigetsu did. If he was there alone, experiencing that, there's no reality he can imagine that doesn't involve death or at least maiming. He doesn't mention it either. ]

Later. I'd rather wait until nightfall on that place when there are fewer people around. If the effects are stronger than I anticipated then I'll change the timeframe, too.

That's cool. We can do whatever we set out to do there in less than five minutes anyway.

(it may sound boastful, but he speaks matter-of-factly. there isn't much in the way of competition there. no one could even land a strike on him, let alone give him an opportunity to use any of his jutsu, all scrappy brawlers and people who tumble in from the bars.

there's a lingering little silence suigetsu gives himself, slapping on an uncomfortable smile, wondering if the conversation's ending. he never had the social competency enough to know exactly when.)

I'm gonna go down to the Atrium till then, there's alien-looking ducks, did you see 'em? Are you coming too?

(the rooms get stuffy, his shower stall is too small to soak in without sliding out in an anxious hurry, but the atrium reminds him of home and its solid ground.)

[ The thought of sending a hawk into that district occurs to him, realizing that it may be wiser to go that route in order to navigate stores and scope out weapons that they can acquire more quickly, but Suigetsu distracts him by breaking the silence... as usual.

No one else has really done that for him in years; he's gotten used to the quiet. He'll need to again, too, when he leaves the village again. ]

There's something else I need to do instead. [ As he casts a look back down to the assorted weaponry, then snaps his gaze back up to his teammate. ]

Spar with me.

...

Huh?

I've been inactive and I need to train.

Is there a part you don't understand?

I-I guess the segue was a little...

(abrupt? not for sasuke. maybe he's gotten a little complacent.)

Where did you plan on sparring? Isn't the ship too small?

I wasn't going to utilize anything overboard. [ In other words, his sharingan abilities. ]

If it's an issue, however, we can go to Bajikan. The watery nature of it will give you an advantage.

Bajikan.

(repeated, eyes finding the porthole window. will they cause a commotion? does it matter?)

Well, let's go then. I've been meaning to check out the islands that aren't part of the seven districts. One of those could do the trick. (as for his stipulations, which are obvious from all the other times they've sparred and he's lost...) As always, I don't want you messing around with my head.

It isn't going to be that kind of fight. My genjutsu isn't something I need to test.

[ No, his true intent should be obvious. He needs to quickly become accustomed to fighting with one less limb, a huge change that he expects he'll adapt to best via a trial by fire. Better it's Suigetsu's blade he's facing than that of a real enemy, the first time.

The rest of the daggers are systematically removed from their confines as he speaks, each one quietly examined as he selects which he wants to bring with him. The wire is a must, as is Kusanagi. ]

I expect you to not hold back.

Since when do I ever hold back?

(a sharp snort, like the statement offends him. him holding back against anyone is a complete joke, all of his victims would attest, but they can't speak well with their heads lobbed off.

not that he could ever kill an uchiha, but he certainly does try for sasuke's sake. if he didn't, he'd probably be ash by now.)

If you think I'm gonna go easy on you 'cause you're missing an arm, you're in for a rude awakening.

[ His response is a snort, weapons hidden away on his person as he finally rises from the bed. ]

Following that, there's something else I'm interested in trying out.

Have you been to the anti-gravity room aboard the ship? [ Sasuke pauses, doing a quick once-over of his teammate that's intended to challenge and irritate him. ] Maybe that's too much for your physiology. I assume you'd have to focus harder in order to combat it as you are.

(it works, getting suigetsu's eyes to narrow.)

You didn't exist in a weightless environment for years, did you? I wonder who'd have a harder time...? (physiology aside, his confidence lies in his chakra control — in this physical state, he's just the same as everyone else.) We could check it out. Is that where you wanna spar with me?

It's on the list. [ Unnecessary proof positive that this won't be a one-time event; given the opportunity he'd force Suigetsu to train with him daily. ]

Given this environment it may be prudent to learn how to handle it sooner rather than later. We could do more on Bajikan after getting weapons tonight, instead.

Alright, alright. Don't get crazy with scheduling things, I'm gonna need to rest in between!

(rest is so important. but he's rolling his shoulders, getting ready to head out.)

Why don't we go try it out? Then if it feels right, we can stay there. If it don't, we can head down to Bajikan, grab the weapons in Ira, and spar with 'em.

(really he's just really curious about the zero g now.)

I'm not scheduling too many. This is still a lot less than either of us are accustomed to, and we're not here for a vacation.

[ No, not with all he's heard about suspicious activity aboard the ship... it's just still far less dramatic than trouble in the shinobi world tends to be. ]

We can talk about food after this. [ Impetus to do well. ]

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