Orb, RD11, somewhere in or just outside Schwanheim.

[bondsoflove]

[A young man is backing away from view, staring forward with confusion. He has no idea what the orb is, has never seen anything like it, and is threatened by its presence.

He tries hitting it, to no avail. The sword, which looks a little too big for him, doesn’t work either.

He makes a noise of frustration and drops the sword with a clatter, pacing the little room in circles. He keeps a wary eye on the orb, waiting for it, or something inside it, to attack him.

After a while, he balls his hands into fists and sinks down against the wall, teeth gritted. He glares, no longer at the orb but at the floor, and pounds one fist.

His face contorts with some unseen pain, and he rocks himself back and forth, jaw clenched around silent sobs--his eyes are screwed shut as water leaks down his face and drips from his chin, his jaw. If you listen closely, you can hear his breath hitching in time with jerks of his shoulders.

He shakes his head--releases and re-clenches his fists. He’s mouthing ‘no, no’; he bites his lip and stops breathing completely, terrifyingly still.

He lets out his breath with a gasp and sucks it back in, harsh. Freezes again.

This repeats for a few minutes, but it seems to calm him. The rocking slows, and his breathing is less jagged and desperate. Finally, rubs his forearm over his eyes.

He focuses on the orb again, and his gaze flashes murderous, wild red. His voice is raw and full of more fury than should fit in his small, slender body.]

If this is an imprisonment, let me the fuck out before I set this whole place on fire.

Comments

[bondsoflove]

...yeah.

[Frown.]

But getting to talk to him was enlightening.

[wheresmycoffee]

I'd expect it would be.

[bondsoflove]

Hence, emotionally compromised.

[wheresmycoffee]

[[shakes his head]] You make it sound much more like bullshit when you say it that way. Unless people back in ninja land talk like that since most people don't unless they're trying to sound special.

[bondsoflove]

[Raised eyebrow.]

My emotions were compromising my mission and my battle capabilities. I don't see how that's "bullshit".

[wheresmycoffee]

Because most people just say "I had my mind blown by something" or "I had a bad shock" or something that doesn't sound like you're reading it out of a text book.

[bondsoflove]

I've never heard anyone say that, but I don't associate with civilians.

[wheresmycoffee]

[[raise an eyebrow at that]] How the hell do you manage that?

[bondsoflove]

I grew up in a hidden village.

[He rolls his eyes.] I assume you weren't raised in a military bunker, then.

[wheresmycoffee]

Far from it. Grew up in a little crap ass backwater town full of idiots.

[bondsoflove]

Hn.

[The fact that this guy is a civilian adds another piece to the puzzle. Whatever brought them here doesn't seem to give a shit about attacking prowess.

Which is odd.]

As I can't help but laugh at that :D

[wheresmycoffee]

And if you're expecting military types here, you're in for a sorry disappointment. [[another drink of coffee]]

[bondsoflove]

That puts me at an advantage, then.

[wheresmycoffee]

And why's that?

[bondsoflove]

Can you think of a situation where combat experience would be a disadvantage?

[wheresmycoffee]

Not being a disadvantage doesn't mean it's an advantage. And being trained in a way that's not followed here can give you the wrong expectations.

[bondsoflove]

I adapt easily.

[wheresmycoffee]

So you say, but I see you have yet to leave that room.

[bondsoflove]

Because I'm still gathering information.

[wheresmycoffee]

It's a lot easier to do that when you actually, oh, I don't know, get the hell out of that castle and have a look around. Unless you just trust what random strangers tell you. Which if so, I'm the werewolf messiah and I take my tributes in coffee.

[[said utterly deadpan]]

[bondsoflove]

[Sigh.]

I can't sense any energy from anything in this room but that orb, which leads me to believe that it's probably not going to kill me if I touch it. I also can't sense anything outside.

But since you've already told me this world doesn't work the way I'm used to, I'm using caution. Just because I can't sense it doesn't necessarily mean it's not there.

[The thought chills him.]

[wheresmycoffee]

You blind or something that it's all sense this and sense that?

[bondsoflove]

You can't sense it?

It's in every living being.

[wheresmycoffee]

[[sighs]] The only thing I "sense" in every living being is that most of them need a punch in the face. [[Not entirely true but hey, he doesn't advertise his skills]]

Let me guess. In Ninja Land, everyone has ESP too?

[bondsoflove]

I don't know what that stands for.

[Crosses his arms.] What sets ninja apart from civilians is our ability and training to mold chakra and use it. I guess that makes us more sensitive to it.