Showdown at Sunset

[beforethedarkness]

Who: Sasuke Uchiha (beforethedarkness), Bowser (kingbowser), Lightning Farron (soggypastry), Obito Uchiha (itsjustdust), Tenten (usedswift), "Evan" (Riku Replica) (falseshore), Ren Jinguji (saxsongs), Hope Estheim (eagletalons), and anyone else who happens to be in Olivine City at the time
Where: Olivine City, near the gym
When: March 15th, early evening
Summary: Being in hiding doesn't stop Sasuke from going out to try and get his third badge, but on the way back home he's interrupted by an unwelcome surprise visitor.
Rating: PG
Log:

That was an easier battle than he had expected; although Getsukage was still weak from the bout, but Hiruzen and Senshi still did amazingly well. Obito, Evan, and Tenten had insisted on joining him, and it was hard to turn them away -- especially when Lightning thought that the additional company and protection was a good idea. Sasuke couldn't win against the argument, so all three of them ended up spectating for Sasuke's battle.

Still, something felt unsettling as he began to walk back, and in an attempt to not think about it he kept his eyes focused on the badge in his left palm, walking back towards the house alongside the others and no longer paying close attention to his surroundings. Unfortunately, that lack of attention paid was going to bet the start of a rather untimely event.

Comments

[beforethedarkness]

All Obito would get out of Sasuke was a hum of confirmation, barely going with the pull and ignoring everything but his own thoughts as he went.

[itsjustdust]

He nodded once and pulled the other teen to the side, out of direct hearing of the others. Then he he moved his other hand and prodded him in the nose. "I am proud of you. You showed a lot of good thinking out there today. I could have done without the misquoting, considering that you should have dragged the civilians away from the confrontation, but otherwise I have nothing to complain about."

[beforethedarkness]

"There's nothing to be proud of. I wasn't needed out there. I was useless."

[itsjustdust]

"Don't be stupid. You weren't useless. You had a good team out there who did good work. They were tired. You were aware of that and you called for backup. That was smart. The backup had a civilian attached. That was their mistake, not yours, though grabbing said civilian and forcing them out of the conflict would have been smart. I didn't think of it either so the blame is part on me. I just had to rescue stab-happy-hime from herself though so we'll ignore my own failing on that one for a minute. Your reaction times were good for being injured, and there's nothing you can do to heal faster, so staying back was just sense. It wasn't you being useless or cowardly, or whatever has you sulking, alright? So yes, I'm proud of you. You did well and I'm glad you were out there. The quote thing though. Seriously man. I yelled that at Kakashi when he was going to leave someone to die in enemy hands without even trying to help her. Not the same thing at all."

[beforethedarkness]

"... On our first mission out of the village... We faced a missing nin. Kakashi's words stuck with us, and he would have died if we had abandoned him there against that nin in our first encounter -- even though he told us to run."

It went unsaid, but he didn't want the same thing to happen to Lightning. And knowing that he was useless then... It reminded him of something else as well. Something else that went unsaid.

[itsjustdust]

His expression softened. "Like I said. The only think I saw wrong was you not getting the civilians out of the line of fire, alright? And I didn't either. Now if you'd pulled the treat of stupidity Tenten attempted? Then we'd have words. Don't let anyone else drop you because you did fine. Got it? Just fine."

He paused a beat. "So will you watch out for me and Tenten later so someone doesn't try to break up my evaluation of her sparring abilities in hand to hand? I trust you to do that, I don't think anyone else will understand."

[beforethedarkness]

There was no verbal answer, only a mute nod in response to the request for him to oversee the sparring session. He didn't believe the praise that Obito had been giving him - if it was right, why had Lightning been so quick to dismiss him?

No, he just wasn't useful at all... Someone she had to rescue because he couldn't protect himself or even help fight.

[itsjustdust]

"...Thank you." There was a beat of pause. "I think coming here might have been the wrong choice. It hasn't been good for you cousin. I'm glad we're leaving."

[beforethedarkness]

"... It was safe," He murmured softly, his eyes on the ground as he finally limped forward -- it was still hard to walk after that punch, although he was finally starting to recover a little more from it.

[itsjustdust]

"You're right. But you're not helpless, and you're not a civilian. Don't let people treating you like you're either of those things go to your head to make you think you are those things."

[beforethedarkness]

He didn't answer, not looking at Obito and instead just slipping forward and into the main area to sit. He was just exhausted, both mentally and physically, but he had to make sure that Lightning at least got home all right, since she was the last one out there...

[itsjustdust]

He sighed, then just moved to look out the window. He'd watch for Lightning then, let Sasuke sit on what he said.

[usedswift]

As soon as Obito had moved, Tenten shot another glare at his back before moving in close to take a seat near Sasuke himself. "Hey. How're your injuries?"

[beforethedarkness]

"I've had worse," He muttered a little, breathing out a heavy sigh before he raised his good arm to cover his stomach a little, "I'll be okay."

At least that wasn't making him feel physically dizzy or sick anymore... No, at about that time his nerves were doing a good enough job of that.

[usedswift]

"Don't worry. I got the thing that punched you with a knife to the eye," she offered by way of reassurance, a hand moving as if she might touch her shoulder before just clasping them both in front of her. "Sorry I couldn't back you up more."

[beforethedarkness]

"... We heard. There's a warrant out for you now because of it. The police almost thought it was us at the center," Sasuke breathed, though it wasn't chastisement so much as it was a warning for Tenten. The last thing they needed was to have her get arrested then...

[usedswift]

"What?!" She froze and stared at him, eyes hardening. "Wait, how does him attacking us turn into a warrant for me stabbing one of his rampaging monsters?!"

[beforethedarkness]

"Because you used an illegal weapon. It doesn't matter what the reason is -- even if it was to defend yourself, they don't care here."

[usedswift]

"That doesn't make any sense! How are we the bad guys in this?!"

[itsjustdust]

"The same way that we'll probably get a lecture. Because people here don't make sense, and think their way is the only way. I'm sorry you lost the blade, though, it was a wonderful throw."

[eagletalons]

Oh kids, do you think you're off the hook just because you don't think Hope can hear you? Because he totally can, having arrived with Sasuke and has been in the room ever since. "Every action has an opposite reaction, and this is the reaction you get for breaking the rules. You're forgetting that you're not home, and there's absolutely nothing in this world that's similar to yours."

Pushes himself off the wall to stand up properly, towering over everyone in the room. Acting as the alpha is something he hasn't done since arriving, having relinquished it to Lightning as he's always done, but he just cant let this one go.

"Bowser was in the wrong for attacking someone directly, but in the eyes of the law here, you are as well for having a weapon-- I wont begrudge you for having illegal weapons on you for self-defense, as I have one too, but your actions right now are totally unacceptable."

[itsjustdust]

"Nothing? This world has a great many things similar to ours actually. I know the rules here are strict on the matter of weapons and violence, but what right do you have to say what is or isn't unacceptable? We're not children."

He padded away from where he'd been standing, planting himself firmly between Hope and his genin. "We're trained shinobi. We are those that civilians come to for their protection, and our country relies upon for intelligence and war. We are young, yeah, but what place do you have to treat us like we're civilian brats who were never taught tactics or how to think?"

[usedswift]

"Breaking the rules. Protecting a comrade is breaking the rules?!"

Tenten wasn't about to take that sitting down either, lunging to her feet, even as she stayed near Sasuke. "Do you want me to apologize for not letting one of his monsters punch my razorbird out of the sky? I'd like to see you survive having a hundred pounds of sharpened steel falling on you! If that's not self-defense, I don't know what is!"

[beforethedarkness]

Oddly enough, Sasuke was remaining silent and just listening to the conversation. Whether he was actually listening or dwelling in his own thoughts was debatable, but it seemed like he had no intention of ganging up on Hope on top of what Obito and Tenten were already trying to do.

That likely wasn't going to change any time soon, either.

[[OoC: In other words, free to thread without me for a while.]]

[soggypastry]

Before Hope can reply, the front door clicks open and shut. In their moments of distraction caused by arguing over a weapon, Lightning had returned to the house, stalking across sand and wooden floors alike like some big cat on the hunt. She's smoke-stained and clearly not happy, long strides eating the ground until she's standing in front of the waiting group and casting a glance around. Hope gets the longest look and a nod--don't worry she's fine---but then she turns her attention to the ninja kids milling about the front room. Her eyes narrow at the state they're in--smoke stained and tired--but the anger doesn't fade. If anything, it just gets colder.

"So. Does anyone want to explain why none of you ran the second you saw Bowser, or either time I told you to go?"

She crosses her arms over her chest, shifting her weight onto her back foot while she waits for someone, anyone, to answer. Something tells her she's not going to like this.

[post order Tenten > Obito > Sasuke > Evan > Hope > Lightning.]