（ finn gets a bit of a cool look for... optimistically proposing ideas on how to use the ninja powers itachi already utilizes in that manner. he understands, rationally, that part of that comes from finn's innate desire to help others — and that's the only reason it doesn't earn him a dry, scathing comment. instead, as itachi begins to roll up the scroll — now mysteriously absent the ink finn first saw written on it — to tuck it away, he cants his head not unlike a bird himself. ）
I am not averse to bringing additional emergency rations in the future in this manner. However, I would... hesitate in doing so in any broadly-known or widely-distributed way. There are other methods by which we can be better prepared that do not rely on a skill that could be lost or rendered obsolete by my departure or death.
（ he likes the crew of the ximilia, inasmuch as he has ever troubled himself to like anyone not blood kin to him, and has decided he will go to considerable lengths for them — but he is not willing to keep himself in a state of perpetual chakra depletion to play packhorse when there is a much simpler solution. he's perhaps a bit resentful of the fact that he feels he's being told he should, but he recognizes that is not borne of anything he feels for finn or even what finn is saying so much as the fact that finn has unwittingly ripped a scar down to the meat of him and left him blistering with the heat of old hurts.
being useful has been a curse more of his life than a blessing. and that inference, unintentional though it may well be, is perhaps one of the very few things that can bypass his not-inconsiderable patience and speak solely to emotion rather than reason.
(he too has been a pawn.)
itachi snaps his fingers and the bird abandons finn entirely to come and perch upon his shoulder, obedient and docile. ）
[ He's- He's very sorry! He still doesn't know that anything's changed but he would be very sorry for all those implications if he did. Besides, regarding the idea of obligations, Itachi can just turn down the idea and Finn wouldn't think any less of him. No one amongst them is obligated to help the group as a whole. It's a choice.
What he does do is nod. It's not great talking about someone's probable/eventual death, but he doesn't even bat an eye about it in situations like these. ]
That's understandable. This is still pretty amazing, though. Why did you want to show it to me?
[ Itachi doesn't feel like the kind of guy to do things just because. He has his reasons, most likely.
Finn doesn't appear to be concerned, though, considering he's smiling at the crow and wagging his finger in front of its beak. If it bites him, he accepts the wound. It's just nice to feel something alive around here other than the Orbers, especially nice for it to be something young and happy. ]
（ which is as vague as it is ominous, and after a moment itachi hooks one hand under the crow's feet and deposits it on the table where finn can play to his heart's content. it does bite him, but gently — the crow is clearly very intelligent, and doesn't wish to hurt anyone that itachi has deemed 'safe'. instead, it worries at his finger like a dog with a bone, hopping this way and that like it's trying to start a tug-of-war match. ）
I know the malnutrition is on everyone's minds. （ finn is not someone, he thinks, who needs to have starvation's effects explained to him, so — ） I can seal living people within scrolls as well. As a last resort, preferably. I simply wanted to know there would be adequate insurance that they can be brought back out if I shouldn't survive.
（ he glances at finn, the red of his eyes betrays no emotion. ）
For obvious reasons, I would prefer that particular ability of mine remain between us for the time being.
（ this is not a gesture of trust, exactly. he's as much gauging finn's reaction to what he can do as he is offering the information. he knew he would not be likely to get much moral proselytizing from megatron, but he has not quite decided what finn may say about it. his reaction to the bird being in the scroll was not promising, but he is choosing to trust his instincts. ）
[ Finn can't help a little laugh at the crow's antics, surprising even himself. He hasn't given an honest smile in days, but the reminder of why isn't going to dampen his spirits. Mostly because he doesn't want to worry the bird. If... that's even possible.
But it all comes rushing back when Itachi states his purpose. Finn stills and looks back over to him, his thoughts already speeding by with the implications of this.
They could put people in stasis. Sure, there's a lot (like A LOT) of issues this could cause, both morally and otherwise. But... they could put people in stasis. The only one that must survive is someone who can get them back out. ]
Of course...
[ He looks back to the bird and the scroll, far less playful and much more contemplative than he was a moment ago. ]
This could work. I-... There probably isn't enough time for you to teach me how to seal someone in, so I won't bother asking now. But I would like to practice more with bringing them back out, if that's okay.
[ Then he looks back to Itachi. ]
I have no doubts that you'll survive this, but we have a big group that could get separated easily...
Have you done this with people before? Do they have any side-effects from it?
[ Please don't get offended by his questions. These are things he needs to know when the situation is down to the wire and he's frantically trying to convince people to get in the damn scroll.
Oh, by the way, c'mon, man. You gonna judge him by his reaction to learning there was a bird in the paper with zero context on the matter? Rude. ]
（ he gives the man a steady look, unblinking. then: ）
Three people. I do not have the materials for more scrolls and cannot duplicate them here. What I have is an option that would allow three people to survive. Please do not ask me who I would choose or how.
（ he cannot let himself be swayed by sentiment. a lottery is the only fair way, should it come to that. if it is three lives or none, he will choose three ruthlessly.
as to finn's comment about his own survival, his mouth quirks up at one corner. he has a better shot at surviving than most, but even then — he will not prolong his own life at the cost of someone else's. he is not so far removed from a boy who wished an end to all the suffering in the world as that. ）
People are commonly sealed inside scrolls in my world. Time stops for them, they are not aware of its passage. I have never known anyone to suffer ill effects from it, but I have also not heard of any instances where such confinement lasted longer than a few days. The fact that everyone here lacks chakra may also play a part. But it may serve as a small sliver of hope, for when we are down to nearly none.
（ he rather suspects that finn can use the force the same as he uses chakra, to sustain himself as needs be. he certainly wouldn't be telling him this if he didn't think it was at least a possibility for the man to survive. ）
[ Three. A slow look of horror quickly replaced by a blankness covers Finn's expression. Just three. There's a sinking feeling of dread in his chest--
He's not going to ask for Itachi to consider some more than others. He won't demand to know how those three will be selected. It's Itachi's way, so it's Itachi's decision. It just-- Dammit. But it- It won't come to that. And if it does, they'll just find more solutions. ]
I think I can use the Force to sustain... maybe two others. But if it comes to that, I won't be able to do anything else.
[ Finn sighs, forces himself to relax. They aren't there yet, not by a long shot. ]
Thank you for telling me. It'll stay between us. I promise.
I told Megatron-san as well. He and the other inorganics will not be subject to nutritional deficiency.
（ their survival is not necessarily assured, but there's a greater chance than the rest of them should their situations not improve.
the crow hops, and with a flap of its wings alights to finn's shoulder, where it proceeds to gently preen at his hair. ）
In any case, that is all I required of you. We will speak later.
（ with a glance at the bird, his mouth quirks faintly and then — ）
He can remain with you for a time if you would like. I understand it's difficult for those with empathic abilities to be around the citizens here without some sign of other life.
[ While Finn's nodding about Megatron and the other droids, the crow hops on his shoulder and immediately makes him freeze. And when it starts nipping at his hair (is it... grooming him???), Finn's eyes grow wider in confusion.
At least the bird has taken his mind off of their certain and impending doom.
A slow smile crosses his face when Itachi allows Finn the chance to hang out with the crow for awhile. ]
Thank you. [ Seriously. Such companionship right now is almost invaluable to him. His eyes flick to the crow, mentally and gently asking the bird what name it likes to go by. ]
the bird, meanwhile, does not seem to understand the question. it offers a brief mental question of karasu? as if that will sometimes satisfy finn's request for a name, but it isn't used to communicating mentally to humans, and its puckish sense of play is at the forefront of its mental impression. names? who cares about names! please entertain him because itachi is a bore.
(though he feeds them and looks after them and looks after all other requisite crow-needs he is not fun.) ）
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no subject
I am not averse to bringing additional emergency rations in the future in this manner. However, I would... hesitate in doing so in any broadly-known or widely-distributed way. There are other methods by which we can be better prepared that do not rely on a skill that could be lost or rendered obsolete by my departure or death.
（ he likes the crew of the ximilia, inasmuch as he has ever troubled himself to like anyone not blood kin to him, and has decided he will go to considerable lengths for them — but he is not willing to keep himself in a state of perpetual chakra depletion to play packhorse when there is a much simpler solution. he's perhaps a bit resentful of the fact that he feels he's being told he should, but he recognizes that is not borne of anything he feels for finn or even what finn is saying so much as the fact that finn has unwittingly ripped a scar down to the meat of him and left him blistering with the heat of old hurts.
being useful has been a curse more of his life than a blessing. and that inference, unintentional though it may well be, is perhaps one of the very few things that can bypass his not-inconsiderable patience and speak solely to emotion rather than reason.
(he too has been a pawn.)
itachi snaps his fingers and the bird abandons finn entirely to come and perch upon his shoulder, obedient and docile. ）
He is young. He wishes to play.
no subject
What he does do is nod. It's not great talking about someone's probable/eventual death, but he doesn't even bat an eye about it in situations like these. ]
That's understandable. This is still pretty amazing, though. Why did you want to show it to me?
[ Itachi doesn't feel like the kind of guy to do things just because. He has his reasons, most likely.
Finn doesn't appear to be concerned, though, considering he's smiling at the crow and wagging his finger in front of its beak. If it bites him, he accepts the wound. It's just nice to feel something alive around here other than the Orbers, especially nice for it to be something young and happy. ]
no subject
（ which is as vague as it is ominous, and after a moment itachi hooks one hand under the crow's feet and deposits it on the table where finn can play to his heart's content. it does bite him, but gently — the crow is clearly very intelligent, and doesn't wish to hurt anyone that itachi has deemed 'safe'. instead, it worries at his finger like a dog with a bone, hopping this way and that like it's trying to start a tug-of-war match. ）
I know the malnutrition is on everyone's minds. （ finn is not someone, he thinks, who needs to have starvation's effects explained to him, so — ） I can seal living people within scrolls as well. As a last resort, preferably. I simply wanted to know there would be adequate insurance that they can be brought back out if I shouldn't survive.
（ he glances at finn, the red of his eyes betrays no emotion. ）
For obvious reasons, I would prefer that particular ability of mine remain between us for the time being.
（ this is not a gesture of trust, exactly. he's as much gauging finn's reaction to what he can do as he is offering the information. he knew he would not be likely to get much moral proselytizing from megatron, but he has not quite decided what finn may say about it. his reaction to the bird being in the scroll was not promising, but he is choosing to trust his instincts. ）
no subject
But it all comes rushing back when Itachi states his purpose. Finn stills and looks back over to him, his thoughts already speeding by with the implications of this.
They could put people in stasis. Sure, there's a lot (like A LOT) of issues this could cause, both morally and otherwise. But... they could put people in stasis. The only one that must survive is someone who can get them back out. ]
Of course...
[ He looks back to the bird and the scroll, far less playful and much more contemplative than he was a moment ago. ]
This could work. I-... There probably isn't enough time for you to teach me how to seal someone in, so I won't bother asking now. But I would like to practice more with bringing them back out, if that's okay.
[ Then he looks back to Itachi. ]
I have no doubts that you'll survive this, but we have a big group that could get separated easily...
Have you done this with people before? Do they have any side-effects from it?
[ Please don't get offended by his questions. These are things he needs to know when the situation is down to the wire and he's frantically trying to convince people to get in the damn scroll.
Oh, by the way, c'mon, man. You gonna judge him by his reaction to learning there was a bird in the paper with zero context on the matter? Rude. ]
no subject
Three people. I do not have the materials for more scrolls and cannot duplicate them here. What I have is an option that would allow three people to survive. Please do not ask me who I would choose or how.
（ he cannot let himself be swayed by sentiment. a lottery is the only fair way, should it come to that. if it is three lives or none, he will choose three ruthlessly.
as to finn's comment about his own survival, his mouth quirks up at one corner. he has a better shot at surviving than most, but even then — he will not prolong his own life at the cost of someone else's. he is not so far removed from a boy who wished an end to all the suffering in the world as that. ）
People are commonly sealed inside scrolls in my world. Time stops for them, they are not aware of its passage. I have never known anyone to suffer ill effects from it, but I have also not heard of any instances where such confinement lasted longer than a few days. The fact that everyone here lacks chakra may also play a part. But it may serve as a small sliver of hope, for when we are down to nearly none.
（ he rather suspects that finn can use the force the same as he uses chakra, to sustain himself as needs be. he certainly wouldn't be telling him this if he didn't think it was at least a possibility for the man to survive. ）
no subject
He's not going to ask for Itachi to consider some more than others. He won't demand to know how those three will be selected. It's Itachi's way, so it's Itachi's decision. It just-- Dammit. But it- It won't come to that. And if it does, they'll just find more solutions. ]
I think I can use the Force to sustain... maybe two others. But if it comes to that, I won't be able to do anything else.
[ Finn sighs, forces himself to relax. They aren't there yet, not by a long shot. ]
Thank you for telling me. It'll stay between us. I promise.
no subject
（ their survival is not necessarily assured, but there's a greater chance than the rest of them should their situations not improve.
the crow hops, and with a flap of its wings alights to finn's shoulder, where it proceeds to gently preen at his hair. ）
In any case, that is all I required of you. We will speak later.
（ with a glance at the bird, his mouth quirks faintly and then — ）
He can remain with you for a time if you would like. I understand it's difficult for those with empathic abilities to be around the citizens here without some sign of other life.
no subject
At least the bird has taken his mind off of their certain and impending doom.
A slow smile crosses his face when Itachi allows Finn the chance to hang out with the crow for awhile. ]
Thank you. [ Seriously. Such companionship right now is almost invaluable to him. His eyes flick to the crow, mentally and gently asking the bird what name it likes to go by. ]
If you need me, just call. I'll be there.
no subject
the bird, meanwhile, does not seem to understand the question. it offers a brief mental question of karasu? as if that will sometimes satisfy finn's request for a name, but it isn't used to communicating mentally to humans, and its puckish sense of play is at the forefront of its mental impression. names? who cares about names! please entertain him because itachi is a bore.
(though he feeds them and looks after them and looks after all other requisite crow-needs he is not fun.) ）
no subject