forthevillage | third step -- video

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third step -- video

[A tired looking ninja sits in the view screen, watching a much more energetic chimchar dig through his backpack. It has a name tag stuck to its stomach that reads "Hello, my name is: SARUTOBI".

It's his first time actually posting publicly, and he hadn't planned to do it at all, but circumstances have changed. Even if his memories of the past few days are fuzzy and jumbled, he knows he ran into some people who knew him - and he knows they're likely to recall it at least somewhat as well.

Their timelines are all over the place. The only way he's ever going to figure out what they all know of him is to reveal his presence in full.]

This is Uchiha Itachi.

I am not a temporary resident. I have been here.

I just thought I should make that known.

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Your time passed. You left your mark.

Whatever existence you have here is stolen time. The wanderings of a ghost.

[He's put a lot of time into learning to say painful things with a straight face.]

There is no need for discussion.

That's not what I meant Itachi.

[He let out a soft sigh.]

But there's no point getting into it if you don't want to speak to me.

I'm sorry I didn't come home again Itachi.

I hardly remember you.

Your passing meant very little to me.

[He was watching you though Itachi, trying to decide if that was a lie. Yes, you had a very good poker face, but... why remember someone so long if you never really cared, mm? Children that young forget the ones they don't care about typically. Even Uchiha children.]

Maybe that's true. Maybe it's not...

Though maybe it's better for you if it is, right Itachi?

[He gave him a faint, sad smile.]

That doesn't mean I'm not sorry. You're my favorite relative you know.

[He paused a beat, then sighed.]

Even with what I've been told.

I was four. Far too early to be chosen for a favorite anything.

As for what you were told, I'm sure the worst of it is true. I have no connection to the clan anymore, and as such any friendliness on your part is unwarranted.

[Obito hadn't been there. It might be hard for him and his optimism to understand.]

I know you were under orders.

[He'll just skip over the entire protest thing... because sorry Itachi, Obito didn't work that way. Once he was attached, he was attached. Sorry. Still, he spoke softly when he said that.]

I guessed that it had to be something like that, if not actually that, when I heard, but then I got it confirmed later, because you weren't the kind of kid who'd be like that for selfish reasons, and you weren't that kind of adult either.

Still think my friendliness is unwarranted? I know what I'm getting into.

[Something about this conversation sounds familiar. It leaves Itachi pausing on his end, staring at the image as if he can see someone else beyond it. The figure of his brother, older than he remembers, sitting across from him, lacking hatred just as much as Obito is now.

He hardens his expression, unwilling to cave into weakness.]

You know nothing. All you've been told is further falsehoods that you've grabbed onto because you don't want to realize the real truth.

You can say that all you want, but you're still my baby cousin. You're still the only kid who actually looked up to me before I got squished.

What can I say? It doesn't matter what you've done. Not to me. You're still Itachi, and I'm still going to support you no matter what you do.

Understand?

[There's another pause, then Itachi lets out a sudden, mirthless chuckle.]

No matter what I do?

It's no wonder you died as early as you did with that sort of naivete.

It didn't last I hear. [It was a murmur.]

That's not really something to talk about if we're not in person though, okay?

Just know that I'm not giving up on you, got it? And before you try to throw that fake distance in my face again, I've met an older you.

I'm not stupid, I know something was up for him to be as calm as he was, especially seeing you like this. But he still talked to me, so even if you don't want to, I have hope because of that.

That fraud... I've heard someone like that was here.

[He thinks he might have seen him also, even if the memories are jumbled. Absently, he lifts a hand to his chest where some faint bruising remains.]

Whoever you saw, it was a pretender, nothing more. You can attach yourself to that image all you want.

No, it wasn't. But you can think that if you really want to Itachi.

I know you're still a peaceful person.

[He noticed the gesture, but decided not to comment on it, just shaking his head.]

You are a fool.

[And he shuts the feed off a second time.]

[He huffed, then sent him one last message, not expecting a reply to it. It could go to voice mail if needed.]

When you decide to talk to me, I'll be here Itachi. Promise.

[Then he turned off his gear too.]

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