[open] More woes

[coffeeninja]

With a light spring in her step, out was Karin. She felt quite good thanks to some strange but oh so pleasant dream she had. It was so, so vivid too, she could even feel Sasuke's chakra.

Where are you Sasuke? Maybe this was a premonitory dream!
...yes, she had a one-track mind. Why do you inquire?

Comments

[willtowin]

"One of those targeted. It was messy, and only made worse by Sasuke and the test of you attacking the Kage summit, then him later killing Danzo... and him almost killing you."

[coffeeninja]

"....." as much as she tried to picture these events and they made enough sense to be believable, that last event?
He almost killed me, so.. that's why she took me back to-- No!
"Sasuke wouldn't kill a teammate! even if it's 'almost'!" This made no sense at all.

She just told me we weren't friends! She's trying to set me up against Sasuke! "You're trying to draw me away from him!" Of course, this was a normal reaction.

[willtowin]

"He tried to kill me too." Her voice was quiet, and she stared down at her hands, pressing her lips together. "When I wouldn't kill you to prove myself to him while you were injured from his chidori."

[coffeeninja]

"....n-no.. not... not Sasuke..." he protest was weak.

She knew she wasn't lying... and part of her hated that, because she wanted her to be!
She couldn't fool herself into thinking there was a reason. But there had to be one... right? Ssauke just.. couldn't...

...his chidori.... he injured her....

With his own hands.

She fell into silence, head bent, shoulders shaking as she covered her eyes.

[willtowin]

"That's the last time I saw him, so I really don't know if things changed, in his head... but I think you saw him at his best recently Karin, and I only got to see him at his worst."

[coffeeninja]

"..but.. but this world.. it's... I mean he..."

No, forget talking, it won't make sense, because inside her, she's struggling to keep pieces together. Some way.

"....Sasuke...."

[willtowin]

She scooted over and pointed at the bench beside her. "Sit. Not every Sasuke here has lived through that. Others are even far further that have come through."

[coffeeninja]

She slumped, still shaking. "...but he... did this..."

She couldn't even properly imagine the scene, and she didn't want to...

[willtowin]

"Mine did. Yours... maybe yours will be smarter." She leaned over and caught the girl's sleeve, tugging her to sit.

[coffeeninja]

She finally did sit on the bench, or rather... spilled herself over? "...mine..." she echoed tonelessly. "....mine, you say?"

Breaking one's own heart was defintely painful... because at that moment, she realized.
He would never be hers.

"...I can't do anything for him. If he's 'smarter', then it will be his own decision..."

[willtowin]

"The one from when you are. Not everyone lived exactly the same life." She paused a moment, letting out a sigh and after a moment of hesitation, just put her hand on Karin's shoulder.

"When has Sasuke done anything but make whatever choice he thinks he should? You and I... I don't think either of us have ever managed to change one of those, am I right thinking that?"

[coffeeninja]

"..and... and that choice he made... was..."
Was to almost kill her with a chidori for some nebulous reason, but a reason nonetheless.

The truth hurt. She could do nothing for him. Nothing at all. For all her years of obsessing, it was just that: obsessing. It was the same for Sakura, she wagered, and for a doubt she knew him best out of the two of them.

[willtowin]

"I'm not completely sure... but he was different. Colder than I've ever seen him. You were in a better position to witness everything than I was, and I know you were badly upset with him." She shook her head. "I only saw what came after."

[coffeeninja]

Badly upset. Of course she would be badly upset if he had almost killed her.

"I know his chakra was feeling more sinister, but... if he would even do that to someone from his own team, then, I..." she shook her head. "We've... both lost him then.."

[willtowin]

"I think... he can still be reached, but it won't be by one of us." She shook her head on a soft, humorless laugh. "One of these days I'll give someone good news."

[coffeeninja]

She gave a slow nod, remaining silent as he own mind slowly corroded with thoughts of failure.

What good was she.. not only as teammate, but as human being, if some event such as this had happened?

"..this...can't be changed, can it?" she asked at length.

[willtowin]

"I... don't know. Maybe it can. It's up to you to figure out how, if it can, right?"

[coffeeninja]

"It is can, then... it's back in that world where I came from, and the time might even be counted."

...and wasn't this better than giving up? Because giving up smply hurt beyond belief. "I don't understand... why he would do this though. I... never understood him.."

[willtowin]

"Then... maybe you can start there." She got up after a moment, touching Karin's shoulder. "If you need me, I run the village clinic."

[coffeeninja]

She gave a shaky nod. "Right, I'll remember that." maybe... she should try to find him and ask.

[willtowin]

She gave her a wry smile, then a moment later, slipped off to return to work.