10th Tomoe || Video, Action at Route 47, 4th Wall Event

[beforethedarkness]

[There was a Crobat flying around a boy frantically and a Luxio nuzzling at him to try and wake him when the pokégear broadcasts to the network. Once it's on, a Blaziken appears on screen and points him out, clearly distressed at the state of his trainer. It's not hard to see why, as Sasuke starts getting up and spares the gear a look. He's covered in burns and his clothes are slightly tattered, but that likely isn't the most jarring thing about him.]



[It doesn't take long for Sasuke to wobble over, his hand gripping tightly at his left shoulder the whole time while he does. He cuts the feed once he makes it to the camera.]

[ACTION!]

[He's breathing hard as he's just trying to keep going, stubbornly pushing his pokémon away from him at every turn. Those pokémon just continued to try and help him, or at least carry him, back to a town. Any town. They didn't know what to do when their trainer was like this, clearly in a lot of pain and weak. Why did he keep pushing them away?

He stops, nearly falling when someone appears in his path. Who, though?]

Comments

[onefate]

"Of course." That only made sense, and he nods once. Could he fight without Chakra? He hadn't tried since that one day's worth of training that Gai-sensei had attempted to put them through. And while it was certainly possible, he'd hated every minute of it.

Still, he glances to the bird-thing with no small amount of amusement before crossing both arms over his chest again. "I believe your bird thinks you should rest. Where are you going?"

[beforethedarkness]

He paused at that, frowning at the ground before he answered, "East. It might take a while, but the closest town is in that direction. From there, we can catch a ferry back to the mainland."

Provided that this place doesn't decide to warp him again, of course. But it probably will, eventually.

[onefate]

"Mainland?" Neji's eyes narrow again as the arms over his chest tighten. "We are on the mainland. Gai-sensei and Lee and I on our way to the Land of Rice Paddies."

...As much as it irked him to admit that there was something he couldn't see, he had to ask. Eyes sliding shut in annoyance, he asks, "Have you seen either of them?"

[beforethedarkness]

... As much as he didn't want to (not while he was so tired anyway), he figured that it would be better to tell Neji now. Sasuke shook his head at him before pulling out the pokégear and holding it out to him.

"Look at the map. We're no where near it, or the Land of Fire."

After a moment, he added, "If they're here, they might show up or they might be on the other side of the world. I don't know where they'll be for sure."

[onefate]

Again, a moment of bewilderment as he takes the device, then manages to find the map and scowl at it. Impossible. Again, his Byakugan activate to scan the area, pushing to the very limits of his vision, trying to spot a familiar landmark, a person -- anything that might hint toward reality.

"Genjutsu?" He keeps forcing himself to look further, until the edges of his vision grow hazy several hundred meters in the distance.

The Mienfoo nudges him again, nearly making him lose his balance from the way his eyes were focused so far in the distance. Without returning his attention to the forefront, he scowls. "It makes no sense."

[beforethedarkness]

"No. I thought that might have been it too, but apparently it's a meeting of different worlds. When we go home is random and completely out of our control."

[onefate]

Neji is used to his fate being out of his control, but this wasn't due to the Head Family. Otherwise Uchiha wouldn't be involved. Still, it makes no sense, but if there's truly no helping it...

"Fine. I am going to continue to search for my team." Any direction was adequate, or so it seemed, but he certainly wasn't about to propose that they travel together so easily. "I recommend you rest before you collapse in the middle of the road. It would be quite an ignoble end for one of the famed Uchiha Clan."

[beforethedarkness]

"There's no where to rest until we reach town. It shouldn't take more than a day's walk to get there," He sighed and started to move again, still frowning at Hiruzen for his help before he returned Ino and Naru to their pokéballs. One pokémon fussing over him was enough.

[onefate]

...He'd never seen a summon release like that. No scrolls, no seals, just another type of small device. With one hand, he offers the pokégear, not entirely sure what else to do with it.

Without a word, he falls into step beside Sasuke, hands shoved in his pockets. This was the closest town he had seen when he glanced at the map, and it was only practical to travel with someone who knew the lay of this strange land. And, whether he liked it or not, the Mienfoo followed too, seemingly pleased that Neji wasn't trying to push it away any more.

[beforethedarkness]

"... At least now I have someone to spar with here," Sasuke smirked just a little, taking the pokégear back from Neji and putting it back in its place. It seemed like he still had enough energy for at least some attitude.

[onefate]

Neji only smirks in response, eyes falling closed though he continues walking as if there had been no change to his vision. "So it would seem. Though I'll permit you to rest some before you challenge me. I don't need the handicap."

[beforethedarkness]

He glanced back at Neji again, still wearing that smirk even as he was forced to lean against Hiruzen for support, "I wouldn't want to give you one."

[onefate]

"Heh." So the genius rookie of his class saw them as equals? Neji would have to be sure to beat that out of him, but it would be an interesting match. One of the ones he was most looking forward to for his exams. "It will be an interesting match, once you've recovered."

[beforethedarkness]

"... Mm."

Damn, he had almost managed to forget that too. The memory of his attacks being just plain ineffective still stung, but there was no helping it. Not then. He'd figure out a way to get past that soon, even if it just meant training until Chidori was stronger.

At least he managed to blow up that stupid flying chair of his.

[onefate]

Fighting Sasuke without Chakra would be... difficult. He couldn't anticipate exactly how that kind of battle would go, but he had complete faith in his own abilities to take him out. After all, Lee had been able to beat him, and they'd both had a month to grow stronger.

"Do you know when our access to Chakra will be limited?"

[beforethedarkness]

The question made him pause, but he shook his head after a moment as a negative answer for Neji. He didn't know... And he wasn't sure he wanted to.

[onefate]

"Then I hope you are well enough to issue a challenge before that happens, because without ninjutsu, you don't stand a chance against me."

[beforethedarkness]

"You sound confident," Sasuke shot Neji another smirk, as if to say that -- at the very least -- he wasn't going to make it that easy for him if and when they did fight. Still, it wasn't going to happen for a while; loathed as he was to admit it, it would take him at least a few days to recover his full strength.

[onefate]

"I have every reason to be." He doesn't bother to hide his smirk, even as he continues to walk with the other boy. "We'll see just how well the Uchiha clan measures up to the Hyuuga."

He didn't particularly care one way or another about the Uchiha Genin, but at the very least, he'd have a relatively-worthy training partner.

[beforethedarkness]

"Don't be too disappointed when you lose."

As much as he wanted to taunt, the wobble in his step and his pokémon tightening its grip on him didn't really help with his attempt to act tough.

[onefate]

There was no way to miss that stumble, and Neji just smirks again, hands in his pockets. "We will see where our fates lie," is all he offers in response, not bothering to glance toward him again.

"Now explain to me what to do with this... thing." He points to the stubborn Mienfoo still following them.

[beforethedarkness]

"... You're supposed to fight them against other pokémon. It will obey your orders in battle. For them, it's supposed to be like training matches and never gets any worse than that."

His shoulders slumped a little at that, and the Blaziken crooned at that and tried to see what was wrong now. His trainer was injured, but what else?

[onefate]

"Training matches." He gives the pokémon another appraising glance. As if it understood exactly what they were talking about, it raises both fists in what actually wasn't a half-bad attempt at a fighting stance. "So we are like sensei for them? Interesting. And what is the result of these matches? Money? Pride?"

His eyes drift back to Sasuke when his bird-thing makes a sound, and he studies the slump of his shoulders. "What is it?"

[beforethedarkness]

"You can get money from them, as well as items to help them learn new techniques from certain trainers."

Sorry Neji, it looked like he was going to ignore that second question for the moment.

[onefate]

He nods and stares at the other, not about to let that question go so easily. If he was going to be traveling with the other, even temporarily, he didn't want to deal with him passing out on the side of the road. Though it didn't seem to be the case. Again, he measures Sasuke's face with his eyes, picking out little details.

"So what is it about these training matches that upsets you?"