One Necessary Lie ✧ Video

[jikogisei]

[The video feature flicks on but it's completely black and is silent for a minute. Perhaps it was done on accident. But wait, no, that's not the case. There's a man's voice, unidentifiable except to those who know him. Either way, he sounds unamused.]

A world where you collect animals and let them do the fighting for you. Seems cruel. Or perhaps you just don't see it that way. Using creatures to collect ridiculous badges. What good will it do you when you leave this place? If you leave this world.

[Itachi pauses, silence fills the moment.]

How many of you still continue your own physical training as you level up your creatures? Would you be capable of taking down your enemy without the aide of your Pokemon? Would you be satisfied if you couldn't? [Yes, Sasuke. Those last two questions were specifically aimed towards you.]

It also appears that the dead walk among us. [Does he know about the other shinobi or simply referring to himself -- hard to tell. Some might not even recognize him by voice alone. So finally he shifts it around to reveal his face. Itachi doesn't have the hitae-ai sitting upon his forehead like usual and his surroundings are hard to pinpoint. The maroon cloak he's wearing doesn't help as it covers the rest of his clothes.]

[He sighs as if this is all a big bother or an annoyance.] I suppose it's only polite to introduce myself. My name is Uchiha Itachi.

Comments

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[soggypastry]

[A person with a stake in what happens to Sasuke here, but yes. Random woman with a frown.]

So you're the one who killed the rest of your family and left him alive. [headtilt.] He made you out to be terrifying.

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[jikogisei]

[There's no look of surprise that she knows that, or her comment about his appearance.]

I am. [An unamused scoff. See this, Lightning? Itachi doesn't care.] Did he?

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[soggypastry]

[No surprise and that reaction...either he's seriously calm about this or she's missing something. What are you up to...]

He did. [For various reasons she won't mention.] Are you trying to get him to come after you now?

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[jikogisei]

[It's both actually. Not that he'd ever admit it.]

I have no interest in my brother. He's not worth my time.

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[soggypastry]

[If she knew that, she'd say it was a ninja thing. Keeping so many secrets. As it is, she just frowns. What is he getting at?]

Which is why you answered him instead of ignoring him when he called you. [a slight headshake.] That doesn't say "you're not worth my time", Uchiha. That says you want something to do with him.

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[jikogisei]

[Definitely an Itachi thing. He's been doing it for years -- even from his own family.]

Clearly you don't know Sasuke very well. Once he became aware of my presence in this world ignoring him would not be an option. He would not let anything or anyone stop him in his pursuit.

It's better to show him how he's still inferior.

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[soggypastry]

[So he's got practice. Definitely a useful tactic.]

Still inferior when he's got almost a year in this world on you. Right. [she shakes her head.] I don't know how it works in your world, but around here? That means more than you'd think it would.

[Sure, he's reckless and stupid most days, and his tactics need some work, but...well, if it comes to blows between them he may lose anyway. She knows him well enough to be pretty sure of that.]

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[jikogisei]

[He sighs, as if this conversation is boring him or perhaps something else.]

Again you show how little you truly know him. Sasuke won't be satisfied to defeat me based on this world's way of battling. He cannot defeat me by his own strength alone.

[There are still a few years before Sasuke will be strong enough to kill him. A fact Itachi knows well.]

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[soggypastry]

[If it's boring him, it's driving her up a wall. Etro, it's like listening to Dysley monologue all over again. How had someone else not wanted this guy dead yet?]

Are you sure I'm the one who doesn't know him? [iconface.] You've been out of his life a long time. He might surprise you.

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[jikogisei]

[And this is just from a conversation. Think of what it's like in person. Itachi does know his brother, he kept tabs on him as best he could. It was how he could plan their final battle.]

Yes, entirely. The brother I left behind was sixteen and our battles ended exactly the way I planned them to. I've seen the hatred in his eyes and I know what he wants from me.

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[soggypastry]

[In person he'd probably end up needing to dodge a punch or two. Best they never meet, really.]

You knew what he wanted. He's thirteen and has family who care here. [a snort.] Don't count on him being the kid you told to kill you because you were too cowardly to do it yourself.

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[jikogisei]

[No, it's best they don't. He smiles then - and it's not a pleasant one.]

Foolish woman. My plans for Sasuke were much bigger than that.

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[soggypastry]

[...Again, how has no one else wanted this guy dead yet? She's already clenching a fist off camera. Call her foolish, will he?]

Were. You keep using past tense. [she shifts position, one eyebrow going up.] Something changed those plans of yours.

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[jikogisei]

[They do, that's why he's in the Bingo Book.]

My plans were not changed. They already happened. As I said, my brother is younger then the last time I saw him.

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[soggypastry]

[A fact she's yet to learn. Perhaps someday.]

Younger and different from the one you left behind. Don't expect him to react the way you want.

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[jikogisei]

[One day after Sasuke tells her everything and they aren't at odds, they can look back on this in amusement.]

Even now, even with a world separating us for a period of time - I still know Sasuke.

[He's a mix of the anger that drove him to fight Itachi and the determination to learn the truth.]

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[soggypastry]

[That would be for the best. Less shoving off of ledges if things ever turn out that way.]

We'll see about that.

[She's hoping that her words about knowing when to attack and when to retreat have sunken into the younger Uchiha's head by now, but from this distance? There's little she can do. Hell, catching up may not even be an option now. Still...]

Just know that if you hurt him? It's not going to go your way this time.

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[jikogisei]

Is that a threat?

[He looks mildly amused at the thought of that.]

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[soggypastry]

If it has to be. [her tone is flat now, with a note of determination behind it. Same as the look on her face.]

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[jikogisei]

[He just chuckles.]

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[soggypastry]

[She just hangs up. Enjoy that glare, Itachi, for all the laughs it may bring.]