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[chokuto]

UN: 火
𝐓𝐄𝐗𝐓 / 𝐀𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐎 / 𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎 / 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 / 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖
𝟖♣ ( 𝑬𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝑳𝑼𝑩𝑺 )

Comments

[mensrea]

I like red, but I’m pretty fond of most warm colors.

Is there really not a single color that you’re more drawn to than others? Like, picture yourself buying a shirt for everyday wear. What color would you want it in?

[chokuto]

A neutral color made of fabric that is easier to wash.

Red is a good color. [The color of BLOOD I mean his brother and also his boyfriend maybe? (Two different people.)] I also don't mind purple, blue, and orange.

[mensrea]

Huh. Purple and blue suit you.

[Orange is a little harder to imagine, but Stiles keeps it in mind.]

If you didn’t become a shinobi, do you have any idea what kind of career you’d want to pursue? It’s cool if you haven’t considered it before. Think about it now.

[chokuto]

[Orange is the color of his gay feelings.]

If you mean within the context of my world, I don't believe there was another option for me. I could have joined the Police Force, but that would still be within the realm of duties as a shinobi.

Are you going to take over for your father one day?

[It's an assumption, simply based on the way Stiles has spoken about the man.]

[mensrea]

Is there anything that interests you outside of shinobi duties?

Nah. I don’t have the personality to be Sheriff. I’m actually looking to get accepted into the FBI, which is like…my country’s domestic intelligence and security service/federal law enforcement agency.

[chokuto]

Farming.

We have a comparable organization in my village called the Intelligence Division. It contains other groups who work within it, such as the Torture and Interrogation Force and the Analysis Team.

[Incredibly normal things.]

How difficult is it to be accepted?

[mensrea]

Yeah, the FBI tackles interrogation techniques too. They'd never call it "torture," though. With the United States a global superpower of the world, that wouldn't look too good.

Very difficult. Let's just say even with my pristine academic scores, I probably wouldn't even be considered for the program if I didn't already know someone on the inside.

Why farming?

[Farming is even more incongruous than orange as an answer. Stiles can't picture Sasuke as a farmer at all.]

[chokuto]

[Wow, nepotism baby. If only Sasuke knew that word.]

That seems like a poor way to recruit the correct individuals, then. You're a good candidate.

I only began to grow vegetables in this dimension, but I find it to be a productive activity and a necessary resource. I prefer knowing where my food comes from. It's also relaxing, and it can be very physical when at the magnitude of a farm's capacity, beyond what is possible in this place. Additionally, I know someone here who was once a farmer.

[mensrea]

[You're a good candidate. Stiles types for a while, contrary. When he realizes that he's written a paragraph arguing the point, embarrassment settles in. The text is all deleted without being sent.]

What kind of veggies?

And any chance you're referring to a guy named Cy?

[chokuto]

I am trying tomatoes right now.

Yes. He’s the one who stayed with you, isn’t he?

[mensrea]

Ahh, good old tomatoes. Can't have a pizza without them. You know what pizza is, right?

Yeah, that was him. How'd you know?

[chokuto]

No, I’ve never heard of ‘pizza’ before.

He told me he was staying with someone who was in danger around that time. Also, I saw the guitar, and I recognized it as one he made.

Cy is a good person. I’m glad he could help you.

[mensrea]

Christ. Okay, we'll fix you, buddy. Don't worry. One bite of pizza and all your worries will fade away. (Do not sue me for false advertisement.) Basically, pizza is cheese and tomato sauce spread over bread dough. It's all baked. I'll buy you a slice soon and you can see what you think.

[The guitar? Huh.]

Wow, you guys must be close. I didn't even know about the guitar until he gifted it to me.

And yeah, he's a big goof, but definitely a good guy.

[chokuto]

‘Sue’?

I’m willing to try it, if you think it’s so good.

[He hasn’t actually spoken about Cy to someone else directly, so with this — he hesitates. He’s not exactly certain how to put it into words.]

We are. I was there when he first began carving it. Can you play?

[mensrea]

Sue is like... Legal proceedings against someone? Please tell me that's a thing where you're from.

[Otherwise? Terrifying.]

He's been teaching me. It's a little hard for me to pick up, honestly. I don't have the best attention span for hobbies like that. But it's a fun way to spend time with a cool dude, so I'm trying. Do you play any instruments?

[chokuto]

We have a council. Decisions are made through them as well as the Hokage — our leader.

I don't. He's a good teacher, though. I expect you'll pick it up with enough time and effort.

[mensrea]

How are people elected to Hokage and the council?

Got any tunes you'd wanna hear? This place is kinda wild...I bet we'd be able to find tracks from your world. I can try to learn them.

[chokuto]

It's based on experience.

I've never listened to music. [child soldier vibes intensity] So I wouldn't know what to suggest.

[mensrea]

But people vote them into those positions, right?

Cy gave me a music player. I'll put different genres of music on it, then lend it to you. You can listen and see what types you like best. We'll go from there.

[chokuto]

The Hokage will sometimes select their own successor, but the council has a say as well.

What do you prefer to listen to?

[mensrea]

Dude... How do people feel about that? I mean, just going by historical track records... Governments tend to be corrupt as hell. I'd be surprised if your world was an exception, even if your culture is way different than what I'm used to. Do you think your leaders do a good job?

I listen to a bunch of stuff. Not sure how to describe it to you though, because I don't know what genres exist where you come from. And I'm definitely not familiar with what's trending in Japan.

Like... Here are the super broad umbrella genres from modern Western society: classical, rock, pop, hip hop, country, blues, jazz... I'm into rock mostly (and pop, but I probably wouldn't have admitted that back home just because of stereotypes). I feel like you'd probably like some of the subgenres of rock. Maybe hip hop too? I barely know anything when it comes to blues and jazz, so you'd have to get Cy's advice there.

[chokuto]

You're asking a complicated question. No, I don't believe it's a perfect system, or that it functions without fault. But my world is also one of constant strife and war. To overhaul a system of that nature isn't simple. The ones who hold power need to be responsible with it — and have the best intentions at heart for the people they govern. Some leaders are better at this than others. What matters is how well they're able to maintain peace while protecting the village by whatever means necessary.

[vibrates in "I will be the Hokage's shadow" crazy]

I see. Music seems complicated in your world. What was wrong with listening to the 'pop' genre?

[mensrea]

No offense, dude, but I don't think any governmental system is simple to overhaul. You also keep avoiding a direct answer to my questions.

[Stiles isn't stupid. The little information he has about Sasuke's father, about the "clan," must be tied to this subject somehow.]

If you don't want to get into it, I won't push. I'm just trying to get to know you better. And your home too.

When people from my country think of "pop," they probably imagine music geared toward teenage girls. It's stupid.

[chokuto]

[He wants to pursue more on the topic of musical genres, but the first part of Stiles' message takes his full attention — he doesn't want to neglect the severity it requires.]

My opinion isn't representative. No, I didn't believe the leaders of my village were competent and I attempted to alter that system myself, but someone changed my mind. So I decided I would live to see that person in power instead.

As I said, you're asking a complicated question.

[mensrea]

I don't care about what's representative. I asked about your opinion, because it's one I would trust sooner than a bunch of strangers'.

Is this a kind of "change the system from within" situation, with this guy you're backing?

[The wording isn't lost on Stiles. "...I attempted to alter that system myself..." He wants more information on this, especially because he doubts that Sasuke means in a political sense. No, most likely, the shinobi hoped to change things through force. What does that mean for someone so young? Was he part of an organization, or was he alone?]