driftfleet | [ Video/Intro ] Second Lease on Life

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[ Video/Intro ] Second Lease on Life

Who: Uchiha Itachi
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: On the S.S Paisley
When: Immediately after the ship shuffle

[ Itachi's been tinkering with the video feed. He kind of gets it. But he accidently turns it on while just trying to use the camera function to pick confetti out of his long, black hair. A red eye stares back. ]

...Who knew the afterlife would throw me a welcoming party. [ Because really, where else would he have gone to? He's buried in the sky, among stars. His fingers bat at his hair more, getting the rest of the glitter out. He'll probably be sparkly for a couple of days. However, his eyes catch sight that he is recording... and his expression softens, before going flat. He's got an incredibly similar face to someone else on board. ]

Ah. I've been caught. [ He doesn't say anything more--but the camera shows it moving away from his face before shutting off completely. ]

[ ooc: Also Open to Action for people on the S.S Paisley! ]

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[ That voice. It's unmistakeable. After all, he heard it last about a day ago. Or, at least, for him. Itachi could never forget that voice. ]

[ Or that face. ]

[ He's silent when he looks into the camera feed. His brother is staring back at him, but he looks a little different from when he last saw him. Not by a lot, but... ]

[ He attempts to keep the shocked expression off of his face. What is Sasuke doing here? He knows he's dead... did... did he die right after? Had he gone too far and his brother's life had ended beside him as well? That was not in the cards at all... ]

...Otouto. [ The greeting is brief, because he's not entirely sure what to do at the moment. ]

[ There's a definite assuredness and control to Sasuke's expression that he hadn't possessed before and certainly not during their battle, mask now well-honed despite the thoughts racing through an already preoccupied mind.

What does Itachi know? What does he remember? ]

... how long has it been now since you arrived? [ And so he defaults to questions with objective worth that are less likely to have him dwelling on emotion instead of returning a brotherly title. ]

...I arrived this morning, before I was assigned to this living quarters. [ Yes, normal conversation is... just fine by him. A little strange, though, considering what he just came from. ]

Why... are you here? [ Because... he was dead, wasn't he? ]

[ A single day, then. Perhaps that's a good thing, though...

Let's be honest, how many interactions do we get to have that aren't 'weird' or at least unorthodox. ]

That question's not easily answered for either of us. The being or beings that select people to come here seem to do so indiscriminately... though I'd imagine our reunion in particular was planned since we know one another.

So this has all been set-up beforehand. [ Well isn't that just the fucking story of their lives. ]

...You're... not dead, are you? [ He's a little... concerned that's a weird question to ask but HEY, YOU KNOW. ]

[ He should be so lucky.

The question is a stark reminder of the separation between the two of them despite Itachi's intentions, momentarily hesitating. He's had time to process Itachi's death not once now, but twice. And now he has to go through it again? ]

No, I still survive in our world. [ The last Uchiha, an actually accurate title this time. ]

... what is it that you last remember?

[ When Sasuke says he survived, there is an instant look of relief that the other found impossible to hide. Really, that had been his only concern. Everything else, where he was, how he got there... well. He was dead, right? He had already come to accept his fate, whatever that may be. ]

[ At what he last remembers... ]

Dying, of course. [ But he has no idea of what transpired after he smiled and... ]

[ Then everything just went black. And then he was here. ] You should know that. [ Considering he died right in front of him. But, the question puts him at unease... as if he should remember something else. ]

[ At best it's an unpleasant memory and the oppressive guilt he always feels when it's revisited -- now especially that he's turned away from a path of revenge and has no one left to blame but himself -- is something he militantly tells himself he needs to process later. Now isn't the time.

It really never is. ]

Then you mean by my hand. [ Having to say it out loud is that much more difficult. ]

The fabric of time is malleable here. It's possible for two people from the same world to be drawn here following different events, which seems to be the case with us.

So you're from beyond that. [ Well, good to know that wherever he is from, whether recently or far into the future, he's still alive. ]

...It seems you're doing well for yourself. [ Without me. From what he's heard, anyway. He won't comment on his death. He just recently lived... and died... through it, after all. ]

I am. [ A simple confirmation. He's not certain he wants to divulge just how far ahead. Will it be easier or harder for Itachi to hear the truth from him? Denying him that would be the same as what Itachi did to him, however. ]

I've adapted as best I can. There aren't other options here.

... if you have questions then I can help you with them.

...If nothing, shinobi are skilled in adaptation.

As for questions... I've had a few people talk to me who were kind enough to answer many of them: a man named Kenobi-san sticks out in the forefront, however. [ He kind of just... casually tosses the name out there, since he knows Sasuke knows the man. He wonders if he get a reaction from it. Itachi is all about reactions. ] I'll be able to figure things out on my own. [ AKA: he's not going to enlist the help of his baby brother. He has pride as the older sibling, after all. ]

[ But, the next part is hard to ask... but he does it anyway. He's been given a second chance somehow... strange as it is. ]

...I'd like to see you. [ In person, of course. ]

Some of them. [ Never really considered himself to be an adaptable person, not quite as skilled at deception as his brother and certainly not in assimilation either.

He's quiet after Itachi's final words, giving into a momentary wrinkle of his brow at the mention of Obi-Wan that indeeds showcases his familiarity with him. What exactly have they spoken about? How is Itachi feeling, right now? ]

Aa, I want to see you too. [ Whether that's advisable or not. ] I can prep a shuttle in order to head to your location. What's the name of your ship?

[ Not that that's going to give him enough time to get his emotions in order but he can try. ]

The Paisley. [ He's glad Sasuke is going to take the shuttle. While he knows how to use it (oddly enough), he'd rather not mess with one at this moment. Everything is too... new still. But, he's pleased that Sasuke also wants to see him. The hatred, the fear, the surprise in his eyes whenever he finally perished... ]

[ It was a look Itachi would covet, forever. Special, in it's own sick way. His memory, alone. ]

Be safe. [ It's an awkward add-on, but still there, even if there is a slight fumble of his words when Itachi says it. ]

[ It'll be his first time actually piloting a shuttle with both arms since Hiro and Tadashi fit him with a prosthetic, too, so maybe it isn't bad to practice. Or at least he tells himself that as he stares down at the phone, finally managing a curt nod before abruptly terminating the feed.

Be safe. The last contact he had with his brother was a strong hand pulling him in close for an embrace, hearing an affirmation of Itachi's love. So why is a memory of his brother's fist cracking his ribs still just as fresh in his mind, a torturous dichotomy that defines the most important relationship in his life.

Sasuke doesn't delay, expectedly, familiar with the Paisley and docking in short order, having faith in his brother's unnatural ability to track his down when he heads to the common areas. ]

[ Sasuke's right about the assumption that Itachi could track him down without any help. When the feed ends, he first makes a round about the Paisley, taking in everything, finding where he sleeps, and general mulling with the other individuals on board. But then his senses tell him it's time to end his conversation, and Itachi heads with purpose to the common area. ]

[ He slows down when he sees Sasuke, suddenly unsure of how he should approach him or how he should act or... anything. This Sasuke of his is from the future... whatever future that is. Has he forgiven him for what he's done? Does he still harbor unspeakable hatred? Talking over video is one thing, but... seeing Sasuke in front of him... it's a little surreal. ]

[ He wonders if this really is the afterlife. Perhaps it is, and this is all a figment of his warped sense of reality. Does that give him clearance to do what he wants? As he sees fit? Or perhaps what he's always wanted to do, a life that was more peace than war, of less violence and... ]

[ It's a bit much to think about now. At the moment... it's fairly easy to zero in his concentration on the younger man in front of him. ]

[ Itachi steps into the common room. He pauses a good distance away from the other. Again, stuck, on what he was supposed to or should do. ]

[ Best to start simple. His arms fold across his stomach. ]

...Sasuke.

[ Sasuke himself is no sensor type but Itachi's chakra is too familiar, too close, and too powerful for him to possibly mistake even before he enters his line of sight. It prepares him in some fractional measure for actually being presented with him, a deep breath that's meant to steel his nerves merely adding tension onto his already weighted shoulders.

He'd been given so many warnings here that outcomes like this were possible, and yet... all of them had been disregarded. How would he possibly prepare for seeing his brother again regardless? There's less concrete uncertainty clouding his judgement right now -- he knows more of what will come to pass in Itachi's future, knows more about his brother's motivations and state of mind -- but he doesn't feel any more confident when he's meeting his eyes. ]

There wasn't any doubt that I'd show up. [ No, regardless of the nature of his feelings he's always been very good at chasing after Itachi.

His own arms stay by his sides, one a well-designed synthetic replacement that he's more self-conscious of now than ever. ]

You're looking well. Do you feel healthy?

[ Itachi's gaze shifts noticeably to Sasuke's prosthetic, but he makes no mention of it. His eye slowly course back to his little brother's face. Yes, time has passed. There's a slightly different look in the boy's eyes that's could almost be overlooked. But of course, this is Sasuke. And he is Itachi, his older brother. Any slight changes are not so easily missed by his trained eyes. ]

I'm fine. [ It's a somewhat curt answer, but only because he can't answer with 100% truthfulness. But saying he is fine is truth enough. But his tell-tale cough from earlier was enough sign that things were still amiss, even if he was no longer dead. But the answer of course hinted at something else that was much harder to get rid of: evasiveness. Keeping his little brother in the dark, that everything was perfectly splendid on his end. ] Thank you. [ Thank you, as if he owed his brother the usual, generic courtesy. But things felt odd... stiff between them. He supposed it couldn't be helped. ] ...And yourself?

[ The question itself had served dual purposes: on one hand he'd naturally wanted the answer but on the other he'd wanted to communicate to Itachi just how much he knows, that he's aware of his illness and that he'd learned plenty following his death. ]

I only recently woke up from a long sleep here, but I'm told it's no reason for concern. My body's in good shape. Muscles, bones... [ A quick look to his brother now, significant.]

Eyes.

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[ Video/Intro ] Second Lease on Life

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