[ he expected one of them to make the first move from the moment he laid eyes on him in the station. considering what it represents for uchiha itachi to be here, fully alive from the looks of it, he can only surmise that he must be from the past — a possibility that has been confirmed by the flexibility of time in which people are brought to this place. then, he would need to assess his threat level towards him, now that they're both sequestered together in this almost impossible space.
although he has never encountered itachi in person, shikamaru has read his file. he has also heard about his contribution to the great war by naruto, which has given him some credence — even though it isn't much by his standards. he isn't willing to trust him based on what naruto has told him but he has no intentions of treating him like an outright enemy either. at least not until he can confirm what his objective for being here is.
staring at the kanji 朱, he doesn't respond to him immediately, opening up the attachment instead. ]
Is this meant to be an extension of your goodwill?
（ it is an odd thing, like something of another life, to consider the akatsuki in this way now. he had already divorced himself from their ultimate end in his mind, knowing he would not live to see it. nothing of his time with them has been relevant on the ximilia, and should he succeed in undoing his regret he will join them under considerably different circumstances.
(it was always the mission the sandaime had wished to utilize him for. as a member of anbu, as a man of konoha, and a tool of the shinobi world, he would have accepted regardless. the double-edged knife of the uchiha massacre had simply added validity to his defection.)
shikamaru's arrival is causing him to recalibrate, to examine his own way of thinking and how he wishes to present himself. what he says implies that itachi's secrets and the true allegiance he held stayed buried. is he prepared, here, to act as that man once more?
a part of him has enjoyed — selfishly — the relative freedom he's had on board the ximilia.
he turns the ring on his finger with his thumb, until its kanji faces outwards. ）
（ perverse. a nara man would see the reasoning behind nagato's gambit — even if itachi had never believed it would work, it still made sense. turning the biju into weapons held in reserve by each village would be the equivalent of the five nations holding a knife to each other's throat. someone's hand would eventually slip, but in the time between there would be something resembling peace. as a plan it was cruel, it lacked foresight, and was reliant upon the leader of each village having sense and restraint that does not always accompany power, but it was not anything he would call perverse. naïve, perhaps.
madara's, then. ）
Do you think that my being here suggests estrangement from that aim?
（ he knows something. if not, they wouldn't be having this conversation. itachi presses a hand over his eyes, thumb and middle finger settling at opposite temples in an attempt to alleviate the pressure from damaged chakra paths and the near-constant activation of his sharingan on the ximilia, and then: ）
Neither my goal nor my loyalties have changed following my arrival on the Ximilia.
（ and shikamaru is welcome to take that how he may. it is, at the very least, absolutely true.
however, there is one final thing — ）
There is a psionic aboard the station by the name of Blue. He belongs to a race called the 'Mu', to whom the ability comes naturally. He has substantial psychic prowess, and does not trouble himself about permission to enter one's mind. Guard yourself if you wish to keep your thoughts private.
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although he has never encountered itachi in person, shikamaru has read his file. he has also heard about his contribution to the great war by naruto, which has given him some credence — even though it isn't much by his standards. he isn't willing to trust him based on what naruto has told him but he has no intentions of treating him like an outright enemy either. at least not until he can confirm what his objective for being here is.
staring at the kanji 朱, he doesn't respond to him immediately, opening up the attachment instead. ]
Is this meant to be an extension of your goodwill?
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This doesn't seem to align with the Akatsuki's goal.
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(it was always the mission the sandaime had wished to utilize him for. as a member of anbu, as a man of konoha, and a tool of the shinobi world, he would have accepted regardless. the double-edged knife of the uchiha massacre had simply added validity to his defection.)
shikamaru's arrival is causing him to recalibrate, to examine his own way of thinking and how he wishes to present himself. what he says implies that itachi's secrets and the true allegiance he held stayed buried. is he prepared, here, to act as that man once more?
a part of him has enjoyed — selfishly — the relative freedom he's had on board the ximilia.
he turns the ring on his finger with his thumb, until its kanji faces outwards. ）
What do you know of Akatsuki's goal?
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only an idiot would show all of the cards in his hands in one go. ]
A perverse pursuit of peace.
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madara's, then. ）
Do you think that my being here suggests estrangement from that aim?
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[ not a yes but not a no either. ]
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Neither my goal nor my loyalties have changed following my arrival on the Ximilia.
（ and shikamaru is welcome to take that how he may. it is, at the very least, absolutely true.
however, there is one final thing — ）
There is a psionic aboard the station by the name of Blue. He belongs to a race called the 'Mu', to whom the ability comes naturally. He has substantial psychic prowess, and does not trouble himself about permission to enter one's mind. Guard yourself if you wish to keep your thoughts private.
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it isn't the time yet to press him further, so... ]
Noted. [ he'll just leave it at that. ]
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