16th Tomoe || Video, Action for House of Minnie

[beforethedarkness]

[It's early in the morning when Sasuke is woken up by Sakura. He groans when he sees the cheerful Lucario greeting him, and when he's pulled along to see why...

Well, that makes his morning a whole lot worse.

A sigh leaves Sasuke before a video goes up on the network, revealing the tired boy (sans headband) in a closed, rather plain room with his happy Lucario leaning on his shoulders. Seems like the radio on his gear is tuned in to the 'Town Channel' to cover up whatever background music there is, too...]

I have a lot of eggs and am putting them up for sale. There's Zubat, Shinx, Emolga, Oshawott, Riolu, Treecko, Yanma, Feebas, Charmander, Buneary, Vulpix, Torchic, and Purrloin eggs. I can send them over the PC to you.

[Yeah he's incredibly tired right about now. Shutting off the feed on that note.]

[[OoC: There are still some eggs left! Post is here!]]

Comments

[usedswift]

[Tenten curls her fingers in the Vulpix's fur, massaging her the way Totsuka had shown her before, leaving the little fox yawning and stretching her paws.]

Another one already? Tch, I keep getting further and further behind you.

[beforethedarkness]

I only started to really collect them recently. I didn't try for a long time.

[usedswift]

How come?

[beforethedarkness]

... I didn't want them to battle for a long time.

[A sigh and he looks down at the ball in his hand. Sakura wasn't around for it but...]

I fought in a tournament in November and made it past the first two rounds. But, in the semi-finals, I lost to Riku. Badly. Hiruzen, Ino, and Senshi never stood a chance -- I almost took down two of his pokémon, but his Arcanine finished off Ino.

At that time... It wasn't even that I lost. I was outclassed completely, and they paid the price for me not being ready; they were seriously hurt from the battle because I failed to protect them. I failed to protect the ones important to me again.

[Clenching the ball a little more tightly now. Chances are it's Hiruzen's ball.]

For a long time after that, I didn't want to train them or make them fight. I didn't want to see them that badly hurt ever again.

[usedswift]

[She stayed silent to let him finish, fingers just rubbing Hibuchi's fur. The Vulpix apparently has different ideas, though, and squirms out from under her fingers to move over and butt her head gently against Sasuke's leg, making a soft, plaintive sound as if she wanted to comfort him.]

Was that the first time you'd ever suffered a serious defeat on your own, Sasuke...?

[beforethedarkness]

...

[He closes his eyes, having to take a deep breath to collect himself before he answers.]

No. It wasn't.

[usedswift]

[She just tilted her head, waiting for him to continue if he were going to.]

So you figured that if you didn't train them, you wouldn't have to see them battle or get hurt again...? What changed?

[beforethedarkness]

... Roxas.

[He shakes his head again, setting down the ball to run his fingers through his hair.]

He was... A rival. Someone I wanted to fight, but he went home a little bit after the tournament. I think I remember him coming back briefly, but the memory's fuzzy -- I think it was the same weekend when I supposedly attacked Bowser.

He reminded me that they weren't going to get any stronger if I just stopped training them. Things like the tournament were more likely to happen if I refused to work with my pokémon to help them grow.

[usedswift]

[She nods and looks to him again before turning her attention to the Vulpix nuzzling near Sasuke's feet.]

I don't know who that guy is, but he makes a lot of sense. I know you weren't there, but Lee... when he fought Gaara, he tried to keep fighting even after he lost. He was willing to give up everything just to prove himself. So even if my Pokémon are relying on me to train them, I can't help but think that most of them are... a lot like he is, in way. Every battle, they fight their way into unconsciousness, all for me.

So if it's to beat you, or Bowser, or Gym leaders, I've got to always do my best. 'Cause that's what they do for me, you know?

[beforethedarkness]

... I don't want them to have to fight their way to unconsciousness. But they won't get strong if they just stop training, either.

[usedswift]

I don't want them to, either, but that they're willing to is enough.

After Lee got hurt, Gai-sensei didn't stop training Neji and me. We wouldn't have wanted him to. It'd be the same for you and your sensei, wouldn't it...? And that's kind of what we are for these guys, whether we're trained for it or not.

[beforethedarkness]

[He nods, agreeing silently and choosing to just not add anymore at the time. If Tenten wanted the conversation to continue, she'd have to start it again herself.]

[usedswift]

[She thinks about gathering her eggs and going, but... the company is nice. Staying in near those new eggs, she keeps her eyes on them and asks,]

Would you want to train together, sometime...? Not just our Pokémon, I mean, both of us. Even if we can only work taijutsu, I wasn't on Lee and Neji's team for the past year and a half for nothing, you know.

[Yeah, she still hasn't forgotten that comment about her being too weak to protect him.]

[beforethedarkness]

... When my arm's out of the cast. I can't fight you to the best of my ability until then.

[usedswift]

I didn't say fight, I said train. You don't think just because one limb's out of commission, the enemy's going to care, do you? I run in the morning. You're welcome to join me.

[beforethedarkness]

...

All right.

[usedswift]

[The tense set of her shoulders eases somewhat as she starts to gather the eggs into her arms, whistling quietly to prompt Hibuchi back over to her.]

It'll be interesting to see how one of Kakashi-sensei's students trains, anyway. I'm looking forward to it.

[beforethedarkness]

Mm.

[Unhelpful response, isn't it? Still, it's all he feels like adding to that.]

[usedswift]

[She just rolls her eyes and makes sure she has a firm grip on all of them before pushing herself to her feet, moving across to bump a shoulder companionably against his -- hands are too full for a hug -- before making for the door.]

Thanks, Sasuke.

[beforethedarkness]

There's nothing to thank me for.

[usedswift]

[She pauses to glance back at him, raising an eyebrow.]

Maybe not. But it's nice to have someone to talk to and train with, after... everything that's happened in the past couple days.

[beforethedarkness]

. . .

Don't worry about it.

[usedswift]

[She looks at him another moment, biting her lip before nodding again.]

Right...

[She wavers and moves as if to take a step closer, but Hibuchi barks with annoyance, wanting to know if they're going back in the room or heading out, leaving her flushing and making for the door at a faster pace.]

Well, see you later then.