[open]

[boundgenius]

If this, then, was home, then for some, it was the only thing they knew.

For one teen girl, the life of a shinobi was all she truly knew. Her mother had died not long after giving birth to her, and her uncle and rest of family did not exactly approve of her suddenly being thrust upon them. Neji was somehow less than their own flesh and blood, and chafed under her reduced station.

If there were a way out, she would take it. As long as she did not dishonor her mother's name, she would take it.

Today was an uncharacteristically peaceful day as she sat atop one of the many tree branches around Michi no Sato. Border guarding was vital, if uninteresting. At the sound of approaching footsteps, she tilted her head; the direction was from the village itself. Likely no threat.

If they wanted her attention, they would request it; if they continued walking, she would have them halt to learn their purpose.

Comments

[boundgenius]

"Truth...?" she echoed quietly, hands stilling against his arm, where her fingers had been about to press another point. Her gaze sharpened as she looked to him, feeling suspiciously traitorous just from entertaining his words. And yet...

"Am I to fear you, Uchiha Sasuke? I do not." She pressed that point finally, perhaps a hair harder than she had to to reinforce her point. "I can see that what you want more than anything is someone who will not stay away. Am I wrong?"

[konohasuperstar]

"Fear me? You might have to, but beyond me is the knowledge I came to possess after thinking long and hard on the state of things, which is the one clue you'll get." he shook in reaction to that point being a mite attacked. She knew the body well.

"Before you start wondering just what is wrong and how we're all stuck in a happy genjutsu, realize that you might lose everything if anyone comes to know and spread your findings to wrong ears.." which was obviously what he was trying to avoid since he had not stated anything incriminating yet.

...nor had he provided an answer to her last query. He had been quick to stiffle hope, a different sort of fear having sprang up then.

[boundgenius]

"I have very little to lose." She drew her hands back, resting easily on her knees as she watched him. The curiosity was nagging at her, the idea that there was someone else who saw something wrong with their village...

[konohasuperstar]

That tone.... that posture...

Narrowed eyes peered over, and he cocked his head lightly. had she, then, also noticed? "...the next step is to find a solution"

[boundgenius]

"And yours is to leave." She met his gaze unflinchingly, still reading that anger, the loneliness behind it. "Am I wrong?"

[konohasuperstar]

"Because the solution is not here." he held those white eyes, clearly alone on that path. "I've hesitated enough in hopes things would change, but they've remained the same.. and will remain until someone brings change."

[boundgenius]

"And how do you intend to do that? Go to the enemy and bargain with them?"

[konohasuperstar]

"My clan... was not originally from here." and this, without a doubt, was not something anyone else would know. He would greatly enjoy seeing where this train of thought would lead her.

[boundgenius]

Her brow furrowed in obvious puzzlement as she stared at him. That was indeed something she didn't know, and really, failed to see how it was relevant at first. Then --

"You intend to return to that place?"

[konohasuperstar]

"I have to." he stated. "Then, everything will become clear, and these yes will see the truth of this world." this, perhaps, was why the loneliness would forever follow him.

[boundgenius]

"You are bound to this village." She kept her gaze on his, though her brow furrowed as the slightest hint of uncertainly showed in her eyes before she blinked it away to her customary stoicism. "That is your fate, and the fate of everyone born under this banner."

[konohasuperstar]

"Back to acting as if nothing was wrong, I see... A pity." he gave a huff. "If, then, my 'fate' is to have me bound to this village, shouldn't you have trusted in it when I said I had no papers granting me leave? Surely if I'm fated to be here, then I'll come back, hmm?" he chanced getting to his feet once again.

[boundgenius]

One hand firmly planted in the center of his back prevented him from rising, the slightest hint of warning pressure to let him know that she would hit those points again should she need to. "Then affect your change here, Uchiha Sasuke. It sounds as though you are fleeing from a problem, not working it fix it.

"Your fate was assured the moment you chose to attempt exit via the path I was watching."

[konohasuperstar]

There was a low growl in his throat. He did not take well on being kept here. he couldn't even mold chakra properly with her having dealt so much damage. "How BLIND are you!? You're going to try and pretend nothing's wrong!?" to think he had been foolish enough to hope...

[boundgenius]

"There are problems here!" She snapped, finally, hand pressing down harder against his back as she snarled before forcing herself to breathe and remember her composure. "And if your answer is to flee, you are a part of them."

[konohasuperstar]

He was cursing himself for not taking his chance when he had it earlier. "You know nothing about me, or my clan! I'm not about to tell you what I'm even planning since you think this place is supposedly the be all and end all to our destiny!"

[boundgenius]

"This is where we owe allegiance! No matter the wrongs, this is the place we were born into, and there is no true escape." Her fingers tightened and flexed into the back of his shirt as she continued, "Do you intend to bring what you find of your clan back here? Right the wrongs through bloodshed? You will only have a weakened village and weakened clan that will easily fall prey to the Shourisha."

[konohasuperstar]

"And why do you automatically assume I'm -against- the village?" he inquired, teeth clenched as he fought with some decidedly devilish headache. What kind of banshee was this? "Where did I say anything to make you assume I wanted to carve my name on everyone,s corpses in blood? I haven't forgotten who we're fighting or who I am!"

[boundgenius]

"You attacked a border guard who would not allow you to have your way. What have you done to make me think you have anything but the harm of the village in mind?" She didn't ease up on the pressure as she leaned in, unblinking. "I will ask one last time. What is your purpose?"

[konohasuperstar]

He valiantly kept himself from vocalizing any pain, although he -did- see some white spots enter his field of vision. "Tch... My purpose... and what else? Growing stronger. In order to achieve that next step, I need the secrets of my clan! Once I master it, no one'll be able to stand in my way."

[boundgenius]

"Including those who have wronged you in this village?"

[konohasuperstar]

"...niisan was right... other people's realities are so far from mine..." he gave a long sigh. "So that's why people stay away from me? that's the reason they haven't even bothered to extend a hand after everything was burned? I can't care less who wrongs me, because all of that'll change when I get what I seek."

[boundgenius]

"And how do you intend to change it?" She didn't comment on the burning of his clan's homes; there was nothing she could say. Her own life consisted of her duties to the village, and her duties to her uncle's home. Had she wished to extend a hand, it would come to nothing.

No one had extended her a hand beyond the scope of duty.

[konohasuperstar]

"Words mean nothing. What people will remember will be actions that affect the course of history." he once again tried stubbornly to rise to his feet, getting quite annoyed at feeling the earth so close.

[boundgenius]

"And yet you have described nothing of your proposed actions." She increased the pressure to keep him firmly against the ground, other hand moving to press another point just above his elbow to cause pain. "I suggest you stop resisting."