driftfleet | /takes the huntress out back and buries it (jan mingle pt. II)

[ Tomatoes, huh. He wants to ask her how exactly she knew but he can already guess the answer, another fact passed on by another version of himself. ]

I see. With as much free time as it seems I'll have here, I'll take care of it. [ Naturally he then reaches for the hilt of the sword, unsheathing it in one quick sweep in order to test its weight and judge its quality. A few test swings, a switch from a forward grip to a back grip... ] It's not bad.

[ Well, at least he seems to like the plant! She looks happy. ]

Besides watering it regularly, you'll need to change out the soil every couple of weeks to keep it growing properly. We have supplies for that in the garden Dr. Crusher and I run on the Iskaulit.

[ As far as the sword goes, she just shrugs at his assessment. It was part of a present for her, but she figures he'll make better use of it than she has so far. ]

Once we stop again, you'll probably be able to find something more to your liking for sale. Your captain sounds like a complete lunatic, though, so I figured you'd appreciate being armed.

[ Well... that's encouraging. He wonders which of the lunatics he's met so far is meant to be the captain, because that really doesn't actually narrow things down. ]

Iskaulit. I read about it; I'll keep it in mind. [ Good, another task to focus on. He has to flip that sword back around and angle it back into the sheath in order to accomplish it one-handed, seeming like he's getting adjusted to life without a second arm pretty quickly. ]

How often do the stops occur?

[ Yeah, she's kind of impressed at how easily he did that ... he really wasn't kidding about finding a way to adjust. ... Oh well, trying to invent a prosthetic for him will keep Hiro occupied with something interesting to do, anyways.

Either way, after a moment she'll move her eyes away from his hand to his face, and answer the question. ]

There's been a few exceptions ... but for the most part, we make a stop once a month and stay stationed there for a few weeks.

I read about past planets. [ Which alone had been a serious trip; he's having to adjust to the fact that they're flying through space at all after coming fresh from a world that hasn't mastered any form of commercial flight. Not to mention his involvement with the solar system stopped at the moon and did not involve a pleasant time. ]

Assuming there are cooperative traders nearby, I'll take your advice. Though I don't have money to barter with, yet. When do payments begin?

Yeah, it's ... pretty crazy, huh? [ By now it's old hat, for her, but she can definitely remember a time when it would have seemed impossible. ] Did Nightingale give you her guide? I think that has the most information in it about where we've visited, aside from some of the earlier places she wasn't here for.

[ Oh, that's ... a good question. She has to think for a moment to remember how long it was before she got paid. ]

Let's see, you got here on Wednesday ... ? So it'll probably only be another day or two. It's a weekly allowance.

[ The date reminds her, though, since time can work funny: ]

Oh, it's January here, by the way. The seventeenth. Not that it makes much difference out in space, but people like to keep track for holidays and birthdays and stuff like that.

Edited (html why did you betray me) 2016-01-18 19:19 (UTC)

[ Ah, he almost chastises himself for not thinking to ask earlier. Of course the date wouldn't be the same. ] It was October when I left. Not a major change, then.

Nightingale did, yeah. Along with answering a few of my questions, but I crosschecked the answers across more than one source. [ Maybe it sounds paranoid but this place is still new to him and being hunted and having his life threatened has become routine more than news. Maybe he should be more worried about going stir-crazy. ]

She seems to think highly of you.

... she was concerned that you were going to harm me in a fight.

[ It sounds like ninja level paranoid, which is at least normal to her, so she doesn't make a comment.

But ... she does start laughing. ]

We sparred once. I think she's a little afraid of me, now.

[ Well, Nightingale had said she'd held back some at least. Still, he would've been interested in watching the match and judging for himself. ]

What about Zuko? Have you fought him?

Zuko?

[ Oh, right -- Allen had mentioned that Zuko knew Sasuke from the last place he'd been. Huh ... she wonders how that conversation went. ]

No. I've seen what he and his sister can do, though. They both use fire to fight.

[ He's operating off of the assumption that Ino just knows everyone. For his own convenience. ]

We've agreed to a match already and I was merely interested in how well-founded his confidence is. If he's merely bluffing it'll be a disappointment.

[ It's a good assumption to make, honestly. Miss Social Butterfly, right here. ]

I'd be very surprised if you didn't kick his ass. That should be interesting, though.

[ It almost earns a faint smirk of competition but he holds it back, pride recently taking a number of beatings but he's never been one to back down from bragging about his fighting prowess. When boosting it is your singular extreme goal for years you have to have something to show for it somewhere. ]

It just brings up something else I wanted to ask about. Were your powers limited when you came here?

[ Hmm .... well, the answer to that is a bit complicated. She puts her hands on her hips, frowning. ]

Well, to be completely honest, I'm not entirely sure. Everything I've been able to test out has worked fine, but there are a few things I can't really test properly without, you know, giving certain things away to the entire Fleet.

[ Like telepathy en masse, etc. ]

As far as I know, though, no. It's not uncommon for people to have some of their abilities removed or limited, though.

[ While he's certainly not defenseless he's taken a big enough cut that it's going to Bother him for a long time, especially while adjusting to three limbs (potentially three plus a replacement, in fairness). ]

Given the nature of the Yamanaka clan's abilities that's understandable. Is there any precedent for someone regaining abilities that were lost?

Not here, no. It seems like the type of thing that ends up getting taken by Atroma is stuff that could potentially help you escape, so I don't think they'd be too keen on giving it back.

Tch.

Then I'll find a way to set that precedent myself. I won't be content in settling for less... In the meantime I suppose it's a chance to train lesser used skills.

[ It's cute that he thinks he can do anything about it. She's been in places like these long enough to know that there are certain rules that just can't be broken, and that's one of them. But she doesn't say anything to discourage him, just raises her eyebrows at his statement. ]

You might be able to learn something new, too. There are a lot of people here who have abilities that can be taught that aren't something you could learn at home.

Meaning you've learned some yourself? [ That'd be his immediate assumption, anyway. ]

Whatever else I may have lost, I still have the sharingan. Whether people are patient enough to sit down and teach or not, I'm sure I'll be able to accrue some new skills.

A few. The bigger priority has been learning things I can do without my chakra.

[ When these things can be arbitrarily turned on and off, you still have to be able to defend yourself and treat wounds, so ... her smile is more weary than anything when she teases him for potentially using the Sharingan. ]

Just don't be surprised if some people don't like being stared at.

[ Technically you could learn proper cooking techniques with the sharingan too as long as they're physical in nature. It's a very versatile ~~annoying~~ ~~poorly explained~~ tool. ]

I don't doubt that.

And I'm very used to people not liking something that I'm doing, Ino.

It was a joke, Sasuke.

[ She pauses for a moment; she's not really expecting him to be honest when he answers this question -- of course he'll say he'll be fine -- but she wants to extend the offer anyways. ]

Will you be all right here? My ship is full now, but if you want it, I'll put in for an extra room.

[ What the hell is a joke. ]

I've lived in worse places. [ It's simple, but it's true. ] I think I'll face the same challenges regardless of where I am, and it may be that that's a good thing. I could use a few tests.

[ Contrary to her thoughts, that's an overly honest answer for him. This is a chance to grow and solidify his new views, really. ]

[ Yeah, she isn't expecting that answer, and it shows on her face.

... Is she coddling him? It's just that it's been so long, and now that everything is over with, he must have a lot to think about. That, and now that she's older, it just feels like he's so young in some ways. ]

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