video | 002

[ura_no_ura]

[Action | Mid-afternoon]

[ Nothing to see here.

Just a man with silver hair darkened by rust-colored flecks walking through the middle of town from the underground tunnels in fatigues soaked through in some places with blood. He's got a dirty-looking bandage wrapped around his left arm, a slowly spreading red spot eating its way across the gauze surface. He walks like a man who hasn't slept in days -- shoulders slumped, each step weighted. But even despite the apparent exhaustion, he still attempts to make it look more like a lazy stroll than a tired march back to the apartment he'd claimed as his own in Building 1.

Assuming it's even still called Building 1, and his apartment hasn't been taken over by a new resident, anyway. He's been gone for a while, after all.

Two months is a long time to be on a combat mission, but not anything Kakashi isn't used to. Coming back to Luceti after a mission instead of Konoha, though -- that's new.

On the way back to Building 1 Flame Building, Kakashi stops by the Convenience Store for some more bandages, rubbing alcohol, antibiotic ointment, a needle and thread, some pain killers, and a few packages of instant ramen. ]

[ Video | Night ]

[ Kakashi's looking a little better than he did earlier in the day. First aid, food, a hot shower, a fresh change of clothes, and a nice, long nap does wonders. ]

Yo.

[ Have a two-finger wave. ]

I'm back. Did I miss anything exciting?

Comments

text;

[ura_no_ura]

[ Kakashi's eye widens at the small picture that comes up aside the written message. Gaara is here?

After a moment of thought, he quickly writes out: ]

Kazekage-sama. It is good to see you. I've only just returned from a 2 month mission. I seem to have missed your arrival.

Re: text;

[sand_lost]

A mission assigned to you by our kidnappers? [Yep, someone's still a little pissed at this place.]

I arrived two weeks ago.

[ura_no_ura]

[ Well, the mission was assigned by Minato as part of a recon and espionage mission, but Kakashi can't exactly say that over the journal system, can he. ]

I would welcome you to Luceti, but as you have surmised, it isn't exactly a vacation spot.

[sand_lost]

[Okay, he gets by the non-answer that its something more. So sure, he'll drop that for now.]

I understand. Its unfortunate to see so many of our allies here. [And yet, so many of them seem...content.]

Not quite. Its not very good timing for a vacation either.

[ura_no_ura]

[ Judging by his words, Kakashi can guess just what timeline he came from... ]

How are things back home?

[sand_lost]

You're aware of the war, correct? [Despite the different timelines and the amount of time everyone seems to have been here, they all seem to know.]

[ura_no_ura]

Yes. I arrived here mid-battle.

[ That's one way of putting it, anyway. ]

[sand_lost]

Me too. The past Hokages arrived on the battlefield to help. And we were busy pulling the bijuu out of the Madara impostor. The situation was looking up, but it was by no means over.

[ura_no_ura]

[ The Madara imposter.

Obito survived then. Or at least, had survived past the fight they had in the other dimension. Judging by Gaara's words, it doesn't sound as though he would be alive much longer, if they were pulling the bijuu out of him, somehow. ]

I see.

[ What else can he possibly say? ]

[ura_no_ura]

[ But then-- a realization, when he rereads what Gaara wrote. ]

When you say "past Hokages" do you mean... Edo Tensei?

[sand_lost]

I do. It seems to be a separate incident from those we were forced to battle against. They seem quite in control of their own bodies and motives.

[ura_no_ura]

[ Really, they shouldn't be talking about this anymore than they already have over the journals. Kakashi frowns a bit, and then writes as politely and as formally as he can: ]

If it isn't too much trouble, Kazekage-sama, may I request a meeting? Everything transmitted through these journals is public record.

[sand_lost]

[Right, just because everyone knows all of this back home, doesn't mean everyone here should.]

Whenever is convenient for you.

[ura_no_ura]

[ Kakashi's not exactly sure how to deal with that answer. After all, Gaara is the Kazekage. When it comes to proper conduct, "whenever is convenient" for a jounin is whenever a kage decides is convenient. Especially when this particular kage happens to not only be an ally, but also the Commander General for the Allied Nations. ]

When are you available?

[sand_lost]

[He knows when the situation is being put into his hands, though Kakashi looked rather settled in for the night in the video.]

I leave the location to you, as you're probably better acquainted with decent spots for such meetings. And I've the rest of the evening free. [Or night, sleep still doesn't happen often.]

[ura_no_ura]

Actually, it may be easier for me to meet you on the roof of your building. Where are you located?

[sand_lost]

Flame building.

[ura_no_ura]

[ Well that's awkward. ]

We appear to be in the same building. I will meet you on the roof whenever it is convenient for you.

[sand_lost]

I'll meet you in ten minutes? [Because its cold as hell out there, and someone needs to bundle up.]

[ura_no_ura]

Yes, I'll see you then.

[ And with that, Kakashi heads up to the roof to make sure he's not late for a meeting of this nature. ]

Action

[sand_lost]

[The last time he met with Kakashi in this type of weather had been when Danzo had attempted to manipulate the summit meeting and he had announced the Kages decision to make Kakashi acting Hokage...and to tell them of Sasuke's attack.

News doesn't seem to be much better this time, but this far from home its result is nothing more than curiosity sated.

But considering the significant amount of battle he adn the other kages missed, he's got some holes he wouldn't mind being filled in either.

So he steps out onto the roof, wrapped in his cloak and nods at the ninja there. If he knew the man better, he might be flattered by the timely arrival.]

[ura_no_ura]

[ Being late is something Kakashi usually does very well. But there are some exceptions to that rule. This is one of them.

The night air is frigid, cold enough for even Kakashi to see his own breath in the air even through his mask. He's layered a cloak and a scarf on for warmth, and had been watching the night skyline while waiting for Gaara to join him, turning when he heard Gaara's footsteps in the stairwell. ]

Kazekage-sama.

[ Kakashi doesn't just nod a greeting -- he actually bows enough for it to be polite, even removing his hands from his pockets where he'd been warming his exposed fingers.

Kakashi might not be very good at being on time, but when it comes to diplomacy -- that's another matter entirely. ]

[sand_lost]

[He politely waits for the bow to be finished before stepping a little more fully out onto the roof. There's a slight twitch of a grimace at the cold air, and out of habit his eyes quickly take in their surroundings.]

Before we continue our discussion on the war, would you tell me how long you've been here?

[ura_no_ura]

[ Kakashi crosses the roof to Gaara, as to not make him walk all the way over to where he was standing near the ledge. He would've suggested that they have this conversation indoors, but one can never be too careful about who might be listening. ]

I've been here for almost five months now. Two of which were spent on a jungle patrol mission, which Yondaime-sama assigned me to.

[sand_lost]

[There's a brief flicker of interest in his eyes at the mention of an assignment from the Hokage.]

It seems everyone I run into has been here for an extended period of time.

[Some of that seem far too compliant with their current surroundings. But that Kakashi and the Hokage are attempting something, finally makes something settle well for the first time since his arrival.]

Did it yield any worth-while results?