001 | In the Forest

[dance_mypuppets]

[The audio clicks on with a rustle; Kankuro's voice sounds as a mutter.]

So either this is going to work, or I'm going to look like a complete moron. Tch. Better something than nothing. At least the thing's pretty self-explanatory.

[And then the video clicks on. It's Kankuro, bare-chested, bare-faced, and plainly grumpy.]This is Kankuro of the

Comments

[ voice ]

[savethelastchip]

[ Where has he heard that name before...? It's been mentioned a couple of times, he's pretty sure-

O- oh. >__>

Well if this isn't just. ffff. man. Maybe he should have seen the grumpiness as a little bit of family resemblance? Well either way, Temari-san's brother = auto-priority. ]

Aa- this is Akimichi Chouji, from Konoha. You're in a place called Luceti, and I'd be happy to explain whatever I can about it.

[ voice ]

[dance_mypuppets]

Akimichi...

[There's a thousand questions welling up on his tongue, like 'what the hell are you doing here?' and 'Weren't you back with the main force?' but he's also not about to go blabbing war plans all over the place. Soooo.]

Yeah, I'd appreciate that, if you could.

[ voice ]

[savethelastchip]

Luceti is-- [ Really complicated, gah. One short sigh bordering on frustration later, and he picks it back up. He's not great with eloquence, but he'll figure something out. ] Luceti's pretty much a big trap.

Everyone here has been stuck inside a barrier created by scientists called the Malnosso, with a pair of wings and a barcode. You don't sound hurt or anything, so I guess you haven't tried to get rid of them?

[ Nice to know if you're talking to a dying man or not, you know how it is. ]

[ voice ] Hurr durr durr what are HTML

[dance_mypuppets]

Wings.

[His voice is flat and unamused.]

... I was really hoping I was wrong about that. And no, I haven't done more than poke them yet. They hurt already.

[And while he's saying that, he's absorbing the rest of it. Scientists?]

How long have you been here?

[ voice ]

[touchofrogue]

[ooh, a soldier. Surprise, surprise. Rogue is starting to think that New Feather season is good for something - a break in the boredom. And she decides that sarcasm is a bracing and supportive universal concept.]

What, ya didn't have little fairy wings back where you came from?

[ voice ]

[dance_mypuppets]

[Oh hey, sarcasm. He can deal with that. Brisk and bracing indeed!]

Oh, what, the wings? Truth to tell, I didn't notice 'em.

[ voice ]

[touchofrogue]

[And she smiles a little. Ha, take that, Kurt. Sarcasm is totally the way to go. And her drawl's a little thicker for this-]

Well, don't look now, but if you're here an' breathin', you've got 'em.

...been branded too, but if ya didn't notice the wings, ya must've missed the barcode.

[Hi, welcome to Luceti. Hope you enjoy your stay.]

[ voice ]

[dance_mypuppets]

Lovely. My very own barcode, just what I've always wanted.

[Sarcasm, it makes mind-bendingly bizarre situations a bit more livable. Or something.]

[its_troublesome]

[Joint Shinobi Army...

So it really is happening then. He knew it was, of course - it had just been recently announced when he found himself at Luceti. But until now, no one from home has showed up further in the timeline than him.

...he wonders how much he's missed. But he'll ask that later.]

Nara Shikamaru here, Kankuro. [He remembers Kankuro, but it's not like they've had a lot to do with one another in times past so the introduction seemed to be an order.] I'm not sure who all was in your force, but chances are none of them here. There's only a handful of people here from our world.

[dance_mypuppets]

Nara. Huh. Well, if they're not here, then good, they can keep doing what they're supposed to. [Not like a unit can't operate if its commander goes down, so.]

Your Akimichi is filling me in a bit on the situation, but I'd appreciate more information if you have it.

[its_troublesome]

I do. Some of it's best said in person, but in the mean time there's a guide that sums up the situation well enough. Looks like someone already pointed it out to you, though.

[Bit of a hint there that not all conversations on these things are secure, though Kankuro is smart enough that he probably figured that out for himself.]

[dance_mypuppets]

Yeah, I'm reading over the guide. Looks pretty cute.

[Yeah, Kankuro can catch that drift.]

Any chance I can rendezvous with you at some point for some more catching up?

[voice]

[eighth_strike]

[ Kankuro...
Hinata vaguely remembers that name from certain events of years ago. However it's the mention of the army that catches her attention more.

She knew that they were waiting for the word on the war, but not that it would actually happen. ]

So the war is really happening back home... Um, I-I see some questions have already been answered. Is there any other information you need?

[voice]

[dance_mypuppets]

Yeah, it's happening.

Heh. I barely know where to even start asking, frankly. This whole thing seems crazy.

[voice]

[eighth_strike]

I thought we would have had a bit more time.

Um, anyway... I-I see you have read the guide, and are planning to meet Shikamaru. It seems the more information there is about here, the less it seems to make sense. Um, but I think Shikamaru will do a good job of explaining things an-and answering questions.

[voice]

[dance_mypuppets]

Yeah well, sometimes time doesn't just happen.

[He's leery of giving details, especially since he knows that Naruto's here, and hasn't quite worked out filtering yet. He'll get it eventually.]

I'll fill you in later if you like.

Huh. Well, I did want a vacation, but this wasn't exactly what I had in mind...

[voice]

[generalflirt]

Hmm? Even more Shinobi?

[voice]

[dance_mypuppets]

Heh. Apparently we're a thing around here?

[voice]

[generalflirt]

Well, there's Shikamaru-kun, and Chouji-kun... Temari-chan~ I think they have some other comrades too.

[voice]

[dance_mypuppets]

[There's a caught breath on the last name.]

What?! Temari's here?