This is the song that never ends~ ♪♪♪

[parousian]

*In one door and out the other, a foot in one world, and here, another. Tobi wasn't sure where on earth he'd gone and stumbled, tripped himself into. But it certainly wasn't that other place (where ghosts roam the halls, filling it with absence so large, you can taste it, cleaving right to the bone) that wasn't a house, but a prison

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[kin_slayer]

[Dear lord, another version of Madara. That made five that Itachi knew of, here in these halls? Something close to that. It really was an infestation, roaches, only worse, infinitely worse.]

[This one in Tobi's disguise.]

[Itachi rather wished it were Kakuzu, the Falls-nin knew how to wrap silence around himself, was someone Itachi could, if not relate to, at least spend time with in silence. But, no, it was Tobi.]

[Itachi stood in the hall, watched in silence as the dancing buffoon warbled inanely. He already felt a headache coming on, and there was no chance Madara/Tobi had missed him, if Itachi had spotted Madara. Though really a dead mouse could have spotted Tobi, with all that dancing and flailing and noise.]

[parousian]

*And that had been the entire point of this little experiment of dissonance in a failed A minor, fishing hooks into ears and reeling their owners in with the absurd affectation of it.

But of all people to catch, this was not at all what Tobi had expected (still so young, still so strong, with eyes that were still bright, still clear, still alive) when he'd burst into song and dance and flailing arms (and he'd felt the thrum of chakra that couldn't have been anyone else, but he'd left Itachi behind in the other house) in hopes of running into anyone else in these halls.*

Ah! Itachi-san!!

*Surprised, he certainly sounded, voice high and reedy and still Tobi. (There were echoes of chakra all around them, some loud, too familiar, too steady; multiple imprints of the same signatures, repetitions and modulations of the same theme, same motif, same chorus that should only ever be sung in singular, not multiple -- this made no sense, but neither did Itachi here, too young, too strong, too alive to really be him. And if Madara didn't

[kin_slayer]

Tobi.

[Just an acknowledgment, an incline of his head, and then waiting. If Tobi has questions, he'll answer, if not... He'll extract himself from the tedious situation, one way or another, and maybe go find the tea garden room again. Or the dango room.]

[Some place to relieve his building migraine.]

[parousian]

*Unfortunately, Itachi is not about to get any small respite in tea or dango. Madara's watching him under the mask, Sharingan spinning as he reads his chakra source -- confirming all of the impossibility that this really is Itachi standing before him.*

Where are we? *The voice that comes out from behind the mask is suddenly quiet. Sounding not at all like the high-pitched greeting he'd given Itachi. There's ghosts in the walls here as well, just like the place he'd come from. These ghosts are different, less dangerous. But it's enough for him to flick through seals, a barrier springing up around them, sealing them from ears and eyes.

This way, there'll be no interruptions*

[seeingeyeshark]

[Oh dear God, his ears. They're being stabbed off with rusty wooden spoons, aren't they? Or are about fifty cats in heat and agony mating while in their death throes? A handful of kunais being dragged over a blackboard? That's what it sounds and feels like, at least--it's too damned early for this kind of shit, especially after that sealing.....

Kisame groans and rolls over, still wrapped in his cloak and cracking open an eye; he'd have a good mind to throw something, if he had anything handy. But there's absolutely nobody there, so he's obviously not going to get back to sleep anytime soo--why is he on the floor in a hallway?]

The hell....?

[Another yawn and noise of protest; he finally gets up and dusts himself off, rubbing his eyes as he sets off to find the singer. It takes a little while; even if the caterwauling sounds like it's right next to him, he's forced to take several detours and navigate a good half-dozen hallways before the echoing tune's source is reached. By that time, at least, he's more awake and less grumpy, now

[hoydenism]

[ Eyes him. The oddest man she's ever seen, but then; there were several like that out in Wave Country. Kushina claps her hands to her ears and decides to ignore the fiesta and say hello to a fellow water!aligned nin. ]

Is he always like this?

I'M TEMPTED TO KILL HIM. [ Spoken very loudly as she can't hear over the racket. ]

[seeingeyeshark]

[Eyeing Kushina back, quiet for a moment; he can taste the way the chakra swirls in her, feel the sympathetic tug of his own element. Samehada wants more than just a taste; he mentally hushes her, for now. He's at least used to Tobi enough to partially drown him out, so his hands stay where they are; he grins at Kushina, showing rows of wickedly sharp teeth, and raises his voice to be heard as well.]

He's not always like this, but he is a lot of the time. And he's a co-worker of mine, so I'll have to ask you not to hurt him.

So what's your name, anyway? [He doesn't see a headband, and she's not trying to kill him, so she's probably not a Mist-nin....]

[hoydenism]

[ She raises an eyebrow, but otherwise appears perfectly pleasant. ]

He's annoying as hell. Reason enough to off him.

[ Blinks, and then smiles lopsidedly. ] Kushina. You noticed my element, huh? I'm from Whirlpool.

[theloneheir]

There's no end...

[parousian]

*Which was precisely the point of the song! It was the song that went on and on, or so the lyrics claimed, but song and dance performances could only continue without end when there were no angry spikes of too-familiar chakra to interrupt them.

(Well, if it isn't Sasuke-kun.)

Tobi paused mid-step and abruptly stopped on half a note, then looked over his shoulder with a deliberate slowness before fully turning, letting silence fill the space between them instead of immediately speaking.*

[theloneheir]

What?

[parousian]

Well, if it isn't Sasuke-kun. *The voice that comes out from behind the mask isn't Tobi's, but Madara's. Low, smooth, steady.*

/throws in a non-Akatsuki

[littlevipergirl]

[Loli!Anko pokes her head in to find the source of this noise, only to find a man in a cloak and funny mask,, singing and dancing like a madman.

She giggles at him as she steps into the room, contemplating whether or not to sing along. It's a very silly song, after all, but she likes silly, sometimes!]

:D

[parousian]

*Silly is the way to be one hundred percent of the time, or so it seems to be Tobi's choice modus operandi. Legs weren't made just to walk, but to skip, hop, jump, and dance along in! Voices weren't only made for speaking, but also for dancing, so Tobi continued to do just that!*

-singing it, not knowing what it was~!! And they'll continue singing it forever just because this is the song that never ends~~~!

*Of course he notices the little girl, but for now he indulges her with song and dance.*

[littlevipergirl]

[Tentatively at first, and then stronger since no one tells her off right away, she joins in, completely unaware that she's singing silly songs with a dangerous criminal. Oh her life.

Her voice is a fair sight better though.]

Yes, it goes on and on my friends~

[parousian]

*Oh how lovely, he's attracted a little singing partner! And isn't she so adorable. With such pinchable little cheeks as well!*

~Some people started singing it not knowing what it was~!

[thecherry_petal]

...nice singing.

[parousian]

Thanks!

*Well, isn't that a lovely surprise? Someone actually appreciates Tobi's musical abilities! And of all people, it's a Konoha kunoichi.*

[thecherry_petal]

[She was lying, but what kind of person would she be if she destroyed the guy's faith in his singing talents?]

Where did you learn how to sing like that?

[parousian]

Oh, you know! In the shower! It's got good acoustics and all.

*Come to think of it, he's seen her before...*