IC: Voicemail

[jikogisei]

✧ Voicemail ✧





"You know who you called. Leave a message."

Comments

[Locked Voice] May 9th - Mid-Afternoon

[beforethedarkness]

[It's been a few days since he's talked to Itachi last, and he can't help sighing as he clicks the feed on. Even after taking all that time away, it all still makes his head spin. He's still far from understanding all of it, but...

He has to take another few moments to simply breathe before he speaks into the gear, quiet with his words as more of a statement than a question or accusation.]

You were crying that night, weren't you Niisan?

I didn't want to remember it but... I came after you. I woke my sharingan and attacked you and... You were crying.

[Locked Voice]

[jikogisei]

[This is.... not what he expected. Itachi honestly did not think Sasuke would be calling him so soon after their last conversation. Or that it would be about this.]

[It makes his breath catch in his throat and it's several minutes before he can answer this question.]

Yes. I was.

Mother and father...they told me to take care of you. [They knew. They knew everything.]

[Locked Voice]

[beforethedarkness]

... Why did you really come to Konoha, if it wasn't to take Naruto? He told me that it happened and... That was when I saw you again.

[He knows it's going to be hard to talk to Itachi about this, but at last he feels like he's ready for more. Now that he's not overwhelmed with the information flooding onto him and now that he's had some time away to sort it out for himself, it feels like he needs more to complete the puzzle of that night. And it seems like Itachi's willing to give him the pieces if he asks the right questions.]

[Locked Voice]

[jikogisei]

[So Sasuke knows about that, as well. It's not really a surprise.]

With the Sandaime dead, I made sure Danzo and the others were aware that I still lived and was still a threat to them. I didn't trust them with your safety.

[Locked Voice]

[beforethedarkness]

I see.

Was I supposed to see you there too?

[Locked Voice]

[jikogisei]

No and you didn't. I imagine you heard about it from someone in the village since you came after us outside of it.

[Locked Voice]

[beforethedarkness]

... Yeah. I can see that.

[He's letting out a deep breath, frowning at the gear in his hands.

Maybe it's time to change the subject, though he feels a little awkward in doing so.]

You're adjusting well here, Niisan?

[Locked Voice]

[jikogisei]

[He is honestly surprised at the subject change. But he won't fight it.]

Well enough. There are many aspects of this that are similar to what I had been doing in our world.

[Locked Voice]

[beforethedarkness]

... They are kind of like ninja animals, aren't they.

[Locked Voice]

[jikogisei]

They are. And the traveling too is something I'm used to.

[Locked Voice]

[beforethedarkness]

...

If you need help training to get stronger, I could loan you one of mine. Physically there's a general cap for how strong they can get, though they can always get more skilled.

[Locked Voice]

[jikogisei]

[There's silence for a minute. The offer is very shocking.]

While I appreciate the offer it would look odd if I was to receive a Pokemon from you.

[Locked Voice]

[beforethedarkness]

... There's no one else you could say it was from, is there.

[Right, because of... Team Rocket...]

[Locked Voice]

[jikogisei]

Not that I'm aware of.

[He doubts there would be many who he could claim would just send him a Pokemon.]

Don't worry about it. I'm not traveling on my own.

[Locked Voice]

[beforethedarkness]

[Well that gets his attention. Not alone?]

Who is it?

[Locked Voice]

[jikogisei]

[He only told Naruto and Minato of his plans to travel with a companion.]

A fellow shinobi and future Akatsuki member from Suna, Sasori. He arrived about the same time I did.

[Locked Voice]

[beforethedarkness]

Akatsuki...

[What does that mean? He doesn't know. But he has a feeling that it has to do with whatever coming after Naruto did. Either way, he doesn't say anything further on it.]

Be careful. I don't want to know what they'll do if they find out you're not really one of them.

[Because you're not, right Niisan? =|;;]

[Locked Voice]

[jikogisei]

[Let's just say it's the big, bad group Niisan joined after that night to keep an eye on them.]

[But clearly Sasuke needs confirmation that he's not really a Rocket.]

They won't find out.

[Sasuke, if he can lie to you for years then he can lie to a bunch of strangers.]

[Locked Voice]

[beforethedarkness]

[Good enough for him.]

...

If you need help, call me. There's still a lot I want to find out from you - I won't let anything happen to you until then.

[Locked Voice]

[jikogisei]

[A small sound. Of course he'd say that.]

I'll be here when you're ready.

[VIDEO | locked]

[usedswift]

[It's Tenten hiding in some bushes as Bowser's castle's shadow flies by overhead. This is kind of awkward, and she wasn't sure if she should call him at all, but...]

Bowser's got your brother. If you care, I'm going in to try to rescue him.

[You're welcome to get here and help stays unspoken, but that's the implication.]

[VIDEO | locked]

[jikogisei]

[He's surprised that he's getting a call from Tenten of all people.]

I'll be there shortly.

[Because yeah, Bowser did one big no-no and has brought down the wrath of Niisan.]

[VIDEO | locked]

[usedswift]

[After what she saw in Goldenrod...? He deserves at least a heads-up.]

I'm launching an attack with my Pokémon as a diversion, then I'm sneaking in to get him.

[And that's all he needs to know, so she ends the transmission.]

June 9th, absurb o'clock in the morning, voice.

[itsjustdust]

So my screen was working for a minute and I caught a look at the date.

I hadn't even realized I'd been trapped in here for a week. But.... uh.

Not the point! The point is happy birthday. Have a good day, okay?

voice.

[jikogisei]

[Absurd o'clock in the morning and Itachi answers right away.]

Thank you.

Are you okay?

[Video]

[beforethedarkness]

Are you okay, big brother?

[He sighs, shaking his head because of recent events. He's not quite looking at the camera, sitting somewhere on one of the routes before...]

And... Happy Birthday. Sorry that I'm not there.

[Video]

[jikogisei]

I'm fine. [Despite the fact that he's surrounded by ice.]

Thank you and it's okay, Sasuke. You should be with your friends.

voice.

[itsjustdust]

[Excellent because he has no idea what time it is.]

Eh? Oh... Yeah, I'm okay, my nerves are just a little shot, that's all.

Promise.

[Video]

[beforethedarkness]

I want to be with you though.

Voice

[for_realsies]

Hey! Have you ever remembered something that happened a long time ago but you didn't remember it happened until recently. Like a dream that you're sure wasn't a dream, but there's no other way to explain it?

Well, if it was a dream, I'm rambling for nothing, but if it wasn't a dream-

Thanks. For helping me when I was lost and alone.

voice.

[jikogisei]

[Good thing he's not anyone else then.]

Any sign of the exit yet?

[Video]

[jikogisei]

[His birthday isn't nearly all that important to him.]

We can always spend your birthday together.

Voice

[jikogisei]

I was unsure if you'd remember that. [It seems she does, though.]

You're welcome.

voice.

[itsjustdust]

Not... even a hint yet. It's okay though! We'll be out eventually I'm sure~!

[He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince though.]

voice.

[jikogisei]

Do you even know what cave you're in?

[Itachi would come help but he can't fly and he's in a cave too.]

voice.

[itsjustdust]

Yeah, found out we're in Rock Tunnel a few days ago when someone popped up.

So... that's something. I think we've been turned around a few times though.

Voice

[for_realsies]

It's weird, it was over a year ago! I mean, I remember it back then. Like... someone just kinda spliced it in between some other things. When did it really happen?

I'll totally make it up to you, eventually!

voice.

[jikogisei]

It may be best to find a good location to wait for it to end and your Pokemon to return.

How are you on supplies?

Voice

[jikogisei]

I've found that time is odd like that in this place. Those few days were even stranger. Approximately ten days ago on May 31st.

That's unnecessary.

voice.

[itsjustdust]

My pokemon are locked into storage so... I can't get them out until I get to a pokecenter or something like that.

I'm okay on food and stuff though, I have WAY more than I can eat somehow.

[Video]

[beforethedarkness]

... But that's almost two months away.

Voice

[for_realsies]

Weird, so I guess you're one of the people here I've technically known longest. Since I met you a year ago.

Nope, ununnecessary. You had no reason to be nice to me, and you were. And I'd have been in real trouble and there might have been a really complicated temporal paradox if you weren't nice to me.

voice.

[jikogisei]

I see. And is the one Pokemon still attacking?

That is a good thing.

[Video]

[jikogisei]

[He's silent, allowing his eyes to drift close for a moment.]

Do you want to travel to Kanto with me? We can meet in New Bark town on the nineteenth or in Cherrygrove on the sixteenth.

Voice

[jikogisei]

While I have only known you for approximately one and a half months. [What is this time madness?]

All I did was allow you to accompany me to Mahogany.

voice.

[itsjustdust]

[There had been a nice delay of about an hour here.]

Ahhh, one pokemon? Sorry I got kinda derailed there. Um. Things happened.

Voice

[for_realsies]

Yes, fun how that works! *Best if you just don't give it too much thought.*

Yes, but given I was completely alone and out of my element and in a really bad place in all sorts of way, it was really nice and important.

[Video]

[beforethedarkness]

I'll be in Cherrygrove when you get there.

[So that'd be a yes on his end...]