endgames | 030 -- [Action]

Entry tags:

030 -- [Action]

[Shikamaru's a hard man to find after this (on-going) thread.

He doesn't return to his apartment until the next morning, through the spare bedroom and not the front door. It's doubtful anyone else will catch him outside of his own floor for the next several days, though he always has his journal on him.

Those days are also partially spent tracking down Tony Stark, Law, Itachi, Gold, Silver, and a few others in his building to warn them about Hidan. Masaomi will no doubt hear from him when he gets back, and Riku may have learned what he needs to know from Ino before Shikamaru gets to him, but they're both on the list. He'll also be visiting the Avatar house for a few people in particular, but given that's half the house he won't be shunning anyone else he runs into there.]

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[He's quickly on his feet and ready to follow.]

Sure thing. Lead the way.

[He'll probably steer them back towards the Avatar house, up on the roof. Aang has airbending, so he has no doubt he can get up there too.]

[He'll be airbending his way up there, alright, with more determination than his usual grace. He's lost at what this is for, except that it must be serious.]

[Shikamaru waits until Aang is seated as well, and then be begins.]

A man has shown up from my world. You remember the talk about the Akatsuki, yeah?

[Definitely bad news.]

I do. The... the terrorist guys, that Tobi was with. He's not... back, is he? [Has he left his ninja wife behind.]

No. I would've come out and said it if it were so. [He pulls up one knees and rests his arm over it.] But he should be taken no less seriously. He's not the type to quietly plot things.

I see. [With a solemn nod.] Then who is this guy, exacly?

His name is Hidan. [...] He was a member of that organization, and a psychotic killer and immortal to boot.

[A psychotic killer. Just what they needed, with that Joker guy around, too. But one part jumps out at Aang.]

Immortal? What do you mean, immortal?

He can't die. That kind of immortal.

[Except that's not true here, is it? There's the wings. He could target those...]

But... How is that possible?

I'm not here to theorize in general. There are other immortals in Luceti, and they no doubt all have different sources for their power.

For Hidan, it's a religious ritual. Killing people grants him his immortality. The more he sacrifices, the longer it lasts for him.

[That... is already the worst and scariest religion Aang can think of. But he focuses on the more urgent part.]

So he'll be... after people.

[He answers that with no more than a nod.]

Make sure you stay away from him. I'll tell you what he looks like and his mannerisms, so you know who to avoid.

I will. As long as I don't see anyone in danger.

If that happens, don't fight him. Grab whoever's there and go.

[A moment of hesitation before he follows.]

Fine. As long as whoever's [He won't let himself put a face on this imaginary victim.] being attacked ends up safe. So he's... he's really that dangerous. [Not being able to be killed is one thing... but Aang is never aiming to kill in the first place. There has to be something more that has Shikamaru this concerned.]

Yes. Like I said, killing is his religion. And because of the techniques he uses, all he needs is a drop of blood to kill his victims.

[And his eyes widen at this detail.]

Blood? Just... just one drop?

Whatever he can get. If it's enough for him to eat, that's all he needs.

He eats blood? That's horrible. [And he finds himself breathing heavily, imagining this. Especially the conclusions his mind tries to draw about how taking in someone's blood could relate to killing them.] Does it... Does it make him... control them?

[...he's not going to soften this. He can point out every flaw, but the facts are not everyone will be able to take advantage of them. And if they can't, they should be scared of Hidan.

But more than that:]

Are you jumping to that conclusion because of what I can do?

[It's too hard for it to be connected. Blood. Control. Near death.]

No! I- A... [He lowers his head. Shikamaru's technique was part of what made him make the connection, but he isn't daring to mention bloodbending aloud.] Kind of. It's... I- I had no idea you could do that until it was... on me.

[The draft feels like it was a long time ago. Aang's gone and come back to Luceti since then, and that's just the start of it.

He remembers Katara's original reaction to what he could do... and decides he so doesn't need this today. His shoulders sag, and he speaks bluntly.]

I didn't have a lot of time to think or I'd have spared you. But when it comes to me, you better bet I don't do that to my friends unless it's meant to help them.

If you're gonna be scared of something, pick something else. There's worse out there.

[He had thought about it every now and then, even after returning... but he couldn't bring himself to talk to Shikamaru about it until now. But he took in his words and after a brief pause, he simply said.]

I trust you, Shikamaru.

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