second; text

[eyeforaneye]

Who: Uchiha Sasuke+YOU
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: SS Huntress
When: Jan. 31

A few things.

There are a good number of fighters here or people otherwise trained in combat. I'm interested in observing people's abilities or training, or at least discussing what they can do. Spars could also be arranged if you want some exercise.

Secondly, I'll take recommendations for good literature available around here.

Finally, if you know how to knit or crochet then I'll offer you up to ten credits to watch you create something.

[ Yeah, this isn't weird. For anyone interested in action he'll be holed up in his room on the Huntress! ]

Comments

[theshabbiestofmen]

What a charming verb usage.

[He raises an eyebrow. Back to gentle sarcasm.]

Nothing unpleasant, if you please. Do I need to do anything?

[eyeforaneye]

I'm not going to be dishonest with you. [ frankly ]

You don't need to do anything; I'm capable of handling it. [ So he says as his eyes close for the barest of moments, opening again with near black irises having lightened to red and with the three dark tomoe dotting each eye suddenly swirling in a disorienting kaleidoscope the second he meets Remus's gaze directly.

The light above them seems to dim, then, shadows cast about the small space that swallow up its features -- books, furniture, Sasuke himself -- until all that remains is Remus, sitting alone in an empty room. It's eerily quiet at first... before a soft but high-pitched chirp breaks the silence, growing into a loud and steadier call of crickets, the sound of wind rustling through dry leaves serving to barely mute them. The chair Remus is sitting in has grown much more uncomfortable and if he touches it he'll realize it's moss-covered and cold, a boulder that's only barely illuminated by the newly visible moon poking through the cover of forest above.

That illusion covers every sense just as Sasuke had promised, thoroughly convincing and gripping, and thus all the more jarring when it slowly begins to fade away and drag Remus right back into consciousness of his actual surroundings, red eyes still staring at him unblinkingly whenever he readjusts. ]

... seems it worked. [ Welcome back to a spaceship instead. ]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[It's like Loki's illusion: overwhelming and all-encompassing, virtually indistinguishable from reality. It's a sweet fantasy-- it reminds him of the Forbidden Forest, of the autumn nights spent running through the trees, his muscles burning in exertion, his rage tempered only a bit.

But the illusion fades-- slowly, unpleasantly, and Remus shudders as he comes back to reality.]

A dangerous ability.

[He clears his throat.]

My god. That was . . . thank you. For that. For the demonstration.

[eyeforaneye]

[ Sasuke leans forward from where he's now also seated, elbow resting on his knee and eyes finally darkening again. ]

Take a moment. [ simply ]

I'm aware of how jarring it can be. I've been subjected to enough of them in my life. [ And none of them like that, that's for certain. Still, it's good to know that he's regaining another ability, bit by bit. ]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[He fancies he can still smell the wind, feel the rock underneath him. It's jarring, yeah, and he takes a few deep breaths, centering himself.]

I can't imagine dealing with that more than a few times.

[eyeforaneye]

It can be damaging. [ He's not going to sugarcoat that, either. ]

Someone else in my family possessed Tsukuyomi, an illusory technique that allows the user to control time within the illusion as well. One second of eye contact and you could be forced to experience days of illusions.

[theshabbiestofmen]

Christ. I'd be more surprised if it wasn't damaging-- in a number of ways, I'd wager. Psychologically, neurologically . . . it must take a lot of self-control.

[eyeforaneye]

I'm not skilled enough to manipulate time like that. Perhaps with more practice.

The strain of actually casting the illusion is minimal compared to receiving many of them. What I did to you wasn't at all harmful and I won't push it much further; you can relax.

[theshabbiestofmen]

[He nods. Oddly enough, he trusts Sasuke won't.]

I don't mean to keep bombarding you-- you can ask about my world, or-- or the wolf, if you'd like, but-- if you don't mind, I'd love to hear about more abilities in your world.

[eyeforaneye]

[ ... ]

I don't like talking very much. It's not my skill. [ Despite how deliberate and well-spoken he actually naturally is, clearly very smart but his bluntness and lack of general emotional and social awareness has gotten him into plenty of hot water over the years. ]

Take the time to tell me about yours instead.

[theshabbiestofmen]

All right.

[Fair enough, and Sasuke has told him a great deal already. Remus settles in, thinking for a moment. The other man had seemed most interested in Moony, so--]

I mentioned you could become a werewolf if I nicked you, bit you, that sort of thing. That holds true even now, although obviously it would be a great deal harder. But then again, I'm the most human looking werewolf I know-- I lived among a colony of them for a time, and most had enlarged canines, yellow eyes, the lot of it. I hadn't even known that was an option, but-- I hadn't known a lot of things.

[eyeforaneye]

Are you afraid of standing out if you change to become like that too?

[ Sasuke pauses after that question, thinking back to what he's observed throughout this meeting and in the brief conversations before it, yet again.

... no, he doesn't think that Remus seems like he'd have a problem standing out as long as he was exemplary or competent. Maybe he'd feel that expectations of him would change, that he'd obviously be treated differently. Then again, Sasuke has a generally bad track record when it comes to reading people. ]

I suppose it would be impossible for those developments to occur if you took that potion regularly.

[theshabbiestofmen]

It would certainly make life far more difficult at home. The only reason I can sometimes get jobs at home is because I don't look like what I am.

[Not self-pitying; just a statement of fact. Remus rubs at his mouth, imagining the fangs there.]

I think it's something to do with living among other werewolves. Or maybe not; as I said, we're not exactly a well-studied group, and I don't know very much beyond what I've discovered about myself.

[eyeforaneye]

The nail that sticks up gets hammered down, whether in terms of capability or not falling in line. It makes sense. [ This has been your fortune cookie of the day. ]

And what about the bite itself? Is it caused by something in your saliva? If I ingested your blood would it have the same effect?

[theshabbiestofmen]

[Well. What even does he say to that? He just nods a touch awkwardly and goes on:]

Salvia, yes-- and I don't know, but I should imagine so. It's a condition that can be passed on via paternity and maternity, so.

[eyeforaneye]

[ Granted, Sasuke isn't going to go around ingesting people's blood anytime soon, but it's still good to know. ]

I see. [ You're essentially a biohazard, got it. ] So all of your children will also be inflicted with this in the future.

[theshabbiestofmen]

It's a percentage game, honestly, but more likely than not, yes. Which is, frankly, why I'm not having a child-- at least, not biologically.

[eyeforaneye]

[ ... ]

You say there's a way to stop the transformations but you've already made such a huge decision?

[theshabbiestofmen]

Not stop the transformations-- sorry, no. Just keep my mind during them. Keep myself sane. I still transform. But yes. It's not a condition I would doom a child to, nor all the stigmas our world attaches to it.

[eyeforaneye]

[ He actually goes quiet, then, finally looking away from Remus and down at the books, albeit distractedly. ]

Hm.

[theshabbiestofmen]

[Has the question of children come to Sasuke, then? Does he not want to pass something on? Remus wonders, but doesn't ask.]

It isn't a decision I came to lightly. But . . . it would be selfish, to inflict something I loathe on a child. I was bitten, not born-- it was no one's fault but my attacker. But this would be selfish.

[eyeforaneye]

I understand your choice. [ And he does, it just causes him to think more about his own situation than he'd like to. ]

It's probably wise. Besides, as you said, just because you don't have one biologically doesn't mean you're barred from caring for one at all.

[theshabbiestofmen]

Mm. And anyway, I'm only twenty-one. It won't be time for children for a good few years yet.

[ANYWAY....]

Let's see, what else . . . the wolf, he's stronger. Fast, very fast-- he can cover a kilometer in around two minutes. Excellent sense of smell, of course.

[eyeforaneye]

[ ... wait. ]

You're twenty-one? [ ONE THING AT A TIME, REMUS ]

[theshabbiestofmen]

I am, yes. Actually-- I ought to be twenty-two fairly, soon, if I do my math right.

[HUH.]

How old are you, then?