8th Spell [Accidental Voice] (After all of the rescues)

[lastdragonlord]

[The first sort of sound to filter through the PCD is a horrified, male scream. There, that ought to get everyone's attention, right? Followed by a muted, sniffling sound that transitions slowly into heaving sobs that eventually translate into words.]

Oh n-no, oh no. No, no, no, no. Sorry - 'm so sorry. Don't want to, didn't...

[His mutterings

Comments

[hyuugahime]

Merlin-kun !

[lastdragonlord]

Hi-hinata - I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.

[hyuugahime]

Merlin-kun, where are you ? Are you alright ?

[lastdragonlord]

I'm f-fine. Don't worry about me. [Not telling you where he is, though he hasn't exactly gone anywhere else.]

[hyuugahime]

[She will find you Merlin. Byakugan, remember ? She sees you wallowing in pity over there even from where she's standing.]

Of course I'm going to worry ! S-something really bad happened to you !

[A small silence, then ...]

I-I'll be there soon, okay ?

[lastdragonlord]

[Damn these people that don't listen to him when he just wants to sulk and hide away from humanity! Except, you know, not really.]

H-hinata? Hinata, no, what--

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[hyuugahime]

[Give or take ten minutes, and Hinata is back in the house from which she escaped just a few days earlier, and calling out.]

... Merlin-kun ?

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[lastdragonlord]

Hinata. [He's not going to try and hide from you. He at least knows better than that.]

I would have thought you would have been tired of this place by now.

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[hyuugahime]

It doesn't matter now.

[And she means it, you know. Sure she wanted out while she was forced to stay, but this is different.

... If she was less painfully shy, she might aready have hugged you, but for the moment she just stands there fidgeting and ... smiles, timidly.]

You remember that time when I was in the Clinic ? I'd been hurt badly ... I wouldn't help thinking I was useless anc causing trouble for everyone.

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[lastdragonlord]

... yes, I remember Hinata. [He smiles back just as awkwardly. He'd probably like a hug too, but he's not about to ambush a girl with something like that.]

You're not, Hinata, you know that, right?

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[hyuugahime]

[Soooo not the point, Merlin, and she isn't even going to comment on that, because that issue is far from resolved, and damnit don't change the subject.]

W-Well ... you tried to cheer me up that time. A-And ... when Neji-niisan came for me, you said ... I was p-precious, and that was why you wanted to protect me.

I think ... I think it's my turn now. To try and cheer you up.

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[lastdragonlord]

[But he doesn't want to talk about his own issues, Hinata!]

I meant it. Even then I meant it.

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[hyuugahime]

I knew right away, you know ... that you wouldn't hurt us. That you meant to keep us from harm ... and that it was ..; you but not really you. that something had made you react like that.

So I4m not mad at you for what happened. I just hope ... Neji-niisan didn't do anything too bad when he came.

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[lastdragonlord]

I'm glad you have so much faith in me Hinata.

What Neji did... I don't know quite what he did. But I'd really rather it never happened again.

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[hyuugahime]

I would be a bad friend if I didn't. I know someone ... omeone who left our village for revenge, because of something that was done to him. Everyone said he was a traitor, but Naruto-kun ... Naruto-kun never gave up on him. Even now, he still won't.

A-and I want to be strong like Naruto-kun.

[She winces a bit at the last part.]

It's called Juuken. My family's technique. We use it to disturb and cut off the flow of energy in people's bodies.

[And rupture organs, and kill. But that's a detail.]

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[lastdragonlord]

That's a good goal to have, Hinata - though I think you're already there, myself.

[And he nods at Hinata's explanation, but I rather think he'd just prefer to put the past in the past with that experience.]