I CAME IN LIKE A POKEBALL

[these_balls]

Who: ANYONE AND EVERYONE
Where: ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE
When: May 29 - June 1
Summary: GET IN HERE AND MINGLE
Rating: BUT PLEASE MARK YOUR THREAD CONTENT ACCORDINGLY
Log:

"" (Watch on YouTube)

There's something strange, a sudden change
Around, all across the sky;
A change of scene as The Machine
Goes wild, and no one knows why

Everyone will say it's a great display
And we brought it for you
Cynthia and Lance set off Nukes From France™
Now you know what to do:

WE'RE KICKING OFF A ROUTE FOURTH WALL
BRING EVERY JOURNAL, ONE AND ALL
HAVE A PARTY, BREAK DOWN ALL THE WALLS
'Cause it's our game's anni-ver-er-sa-ry
And we're, so ha-a-a-ppy!

Remember to drop a link to your thread here!

Comments

Sasuke Uchiha | Naruto | Anywhere

[beforethedarkness]

[ Hm. So he's here again.

He can't help huffing, a small smirk leaving him as he shakes his head. It'd scarcely been a minute since he'd left before he's back, the only pokemon at his side being Kusanagi, a rather intimidating Scizor compared to his small stature. All of the growth he's had since coming to Johto has been lost, but all of his memories and experiences are still there.

Right about now, there's nothing to do but traverse the routes, using his chakra to keep up easily with Kusanagi as they run through and search for anyone familiar. There are definitely a few people he needs to see right about now, but the question is if they're still here or not. ]

[usedswift]

[She's taller than he is, now.

That's probably the dumbest observation she could make. Really, it's incredible that that's the first thing she thinks of when she spots him.

Even if she'd wanted to stay hidden, the Arcanine at her side has other ideas. Yougan can recognize the scent of his old trainer and lets out a friendly bark to try to grab Sasuke's attention from the ground below, though he doesn't leave Tenten's side more than a few steps. His tail bangs against her leg as she stands there.

She should say something. See if he even remembers her.]

Hey. [Her voice is uncharacteristically small, then she firms her lips defiantly and stares up.] Hey! Rookie!

[Smooth.]

[beforethedarkness]

[ The bark is what causes him to pause, and Kusanagi buzzing before dropping to look Yougan over only confirms that this is the same Arcanine that he had raised from a Growlithe. And before him, taller and more deadly than before, is Tenten. One of the few that he really started to let into his heart. One of the few he could honestly say he cared about.

He dropped then, ignoring the name-calling as he walked forward, not coming even close to wiping that smirk off of his stupid cute boyfriend face. ]

You've gotten a lot taller. It's been a long time, hasn't it?

[usedswift]

[That damn smirk. It's exactly how she remembers it, and it makes her heart thud uncomfortably in her chest. She crosses her arms and keeps her chin tilted up, trying to hide that her breath is coming hard and anxiously through her nose. She isn't prepared for this.

Yougan is though. Once Sasuke is on the ground, he butts his head against Tenten's shoulder as if to ask for permission, whining impatiently and bouncing from foot to foot.]

Almost half a year, [she answers finally, reaching up to scratch Yougan's shoulder before giving him a light tap and a push toward Sasuke.] You're even shorter than before. [As if he hadn't started getting taller than her before he left.]

[beforethedarkness]

[ He's not sure if he likes that face or not. The smirk disappears after that and he's evaluating her -- he can tell that Yougan is happy to see him, but Tenten is another matter entirely. ]

I still remember everything.

[usedswift]

[Sasuke! With Tenten's wordless permission, Yougan closes the distance and just drops his head atop Sasuke's, panting contentedly. Hello Sasuke. Hello. He missed you.]

Do you remember anything from home?

[She's careful about it, taking a few more steps forward and reaching to grip the fur over Yougan's shoulder -- less to hold him back in case he tries to jump and tackle Sasuke to the ground, which it looks like he might -- and more to steady herself.]

[beforethedarkness]

... No.

[ He raises a hand to pet over Yougan's fur, a clear sign of recognition as he looks away from Tenten. He can't give an answer any more clear than that -- it feels like he'd only been home for a second before returning here, no time having passed at all on the other side. He still doesn't know if he's able to change anything or not... ]

[usedswift]

No...

[She exhales a bit, drops her gaze to the ground for a moment. If he went home, and didn't remember anything... there's no point in him having been gone, is there? But then, she's relieved, too. He's still the Sasuke she remembers.

It's been a while for her. Nearly months is incredibly long to her. But she still steps in to close the distance, looking up just long enough to meet his eyes before reaching to try to yank him into a tight hug.]

I missed you, [she mumbles. There we go, she finally said it.]

[beforethedarkness]

[ It's strange to be hugged by a Tenten so much taller than him, and he blinks at it before sighing and closing his eyes, leaning into the contact with some relaxation.

It's still foreign, but he can handle it for her sake. He wraps his arms around her to return the hug, holding her close while trying to keep it as innocent as possible. ]

Sorry that I left.

[saxsongs]

[This is truly a day for meeting people he hadn't seen in a while for one reason or another. Ren waved at Sasuke the minute he actually stopped for a while. It's not like he can follow a ninja...]

[beforethedarkness]

[ He approaches after he sees Rin, Kusanagi floating calmly behind him as he nods to regard him. ]

Ren.

[saxsongs]

Hey. It's been a while.

[It really has been. It's not like they had seen one another that much before Sasuke disappeared, so yeah.]

[beforethedarkness]

Yeah. What's been going on since I left?

[At least he can catch up on current events while he's here. If everything's doing all right without him... Well, as much as he doesn't want to admit it to himself, it's better if they don't need him since he doesn't know how long he'll be there this time.

He still wants to hear about Lightning, Tenten, Sora, and Riku, among others.]

[saxsongs]

Quite a bit, actually. Bombings in Olivine, another prom, Rockets attacking a train again, me being captured by Rockets. Never a boring day here.

[All that is said rather casually.]

[beforethedarkness]

[ What the crap happened while he was gone.

Really, Team Rocket wasn't even close to this active when he was there save for Bowser...

But he snaps out of it and looks at him, frowning. ]

You're not there any more at least. You made sure everyone else stayed safe?

o hai

[gentlechild]

[Itachi is still adjusting to not having access to chakra senses anymore. To being left unable to sense someone approaching through chakra long before he hears them.

Which means that there are times when his guard is much farther down than he intends. This is one of those times.

He's sitting near the path, his back against the tree and his growlithe in his lap. In fact, her sudden attention is his first warning, moments before he hears the running footsteps.

There's no time to do anything but shift into a crouch before the runner comes into view. And Itachi just stares.

Sasuke.

He's older. With a wild guess, Itachi figures they're probably about the same age, in fact. But still, he can't be mistaken. Itachi would know his little brother anywhere.]

hallo

[beforethedarkness]

[ He can feel his heart jumping the instant he sees him. He's younger, a shadow of the demon of his past, but armed with knowledge gained in Johto he knows that isn't truly the case.

His brother, as he was on that fateful night five years ago.

Itachi.

It's Kusanagi's buzzing that snaps him out of his daze and he jumps down, approaching slowly on the ground as he tries to find his voice again. ]

Brother.

[gentlechild]

Sasuke.

[He doesn't know what to expect. Doesn't know what he wants, either. His plan has been set, and he has told Sasuke to come to him with violence. Should he be relieved or disappointed that this older little brother of his is approaching him with caution instead?

His Growlithe, reading the tension in the air, growls at Sasuke, but he lays a gentle hand on her back. Whatever is between them, the Pokémon aren't a part of it.]

Enough.

[A simple, quiet command to her, and he keeps his gaze on Sasuke. What he wouldn't give to have the sharingan right now!]

[beforethedarkness]

[ He can't help himself. His breath is stolen, and he just stares. Taking it all in. Taking in his brother's expression (or lack of it), his appearance, the fact that he's here in front of him like this. What does he say? What does he tell him?

He still doesn't know if he can forgive Itachi, not totally. Even with the information that he has, it's still hard to forget that night. Hard to forget the horrific murder of his parents, of seeing the dead bodies of all his clansmen littering the streets of the Uchiha Compound. Hard to forget the cold sharingan that was turned to him.

Hard to forget his hate.

The typhoon of emotion continues to rage in him as he steps closer, his eyes focused on nothing but the boy before him as he tried to figure out just what he can say. Even so, at least for the time, he remains speechless. ]

[gentlechild]

[As Sasuke steps forward, Itachi rises to his feet. He's wary, but at the same time, what can he do? He has no weapons other than the Pokémon that accompany him, and his chakra is gone. He can only assume the same is true for Sasuke.

He searches for words, the same as Sasuke. What is there to say? He doesn't feel powerful, facing Sasuke like this. He feels tremendously vulnerable, and more than that, he feels young. Too used to being the older brother, the taller, the stronger. How can he be the monster he needs to be?]

Did you just arrive here?

[He wants the question to sound careless, as though he doesn't really need to know. As though it's only a matter of minor curiosity to him. But he's certain Sasuke can read beyond that. He's not a child anymore. Not so easily led.]

[beforethedarkness]

... I've been here before. It's been a long time since I was here, though.

[ At least, as far as he can tell. It's not winter any more, after all. Even so, the scenery is familiar, but seeing his older brother like this... The same as that night...

He swallows. It's still hard for him to take. ]

... I know, brother. I know about everything.

[punches]

[ If he thinks he can outrun her now, well he has another thing coming. It doesn't take Sakura long to catch up to him and she even goes out of her way to cut him off by leaping down in front of his path to block it. ]

Sasuke-kun! [ It feels so weird to talk to someone so tiny from her past now, but this is the way she remembers him best. ]

[beforethedarkness]

Sakura.

[ Thankfully he manages to keep himself from crashing into her, holding onto the branch easily with his chakra as Kusanagi buzzes threateningly at her. Upon the look the insect pokemon receives from Sasuke however, he calms himself and allows his trainer to do what he needs to with this girl.

Which, apparently, is let her know exactly what he feels she needs to know then. ]

So I'm back in this place again?

[punches]

[ A nod, though she doesn't stop watching Kusanagi out of the corner of her eye. How intimidating. ]

Sorry Sasuke-kun. I know it's not what you want to hear... but it's probably for a short while this time.

[ Attempting to smile now. ] So you don't have to worry too much.

[beforethedarkness]

I guess it's one of those weekends then. I was wondering why I could use my chakra.

[ Sigh. Of course it would be... So he's not here for long, and can't change much again. Damn... ]