[Merriment is a surprisingly patient teacher and allows Sasuke time to check out the table and align himself. As the triangle cracks and the 15 sinks, he uses his cue to gesture.]
Nice shot. So now that the balls are split, stripes are yours. You'll want to aim to sink all of the stripes before going for the eight ball. With the eight ball you have to specify which pocket you're going for, but not with the others.
[With that, Merriment looks at the set-up.] We alternate. You can't move the cue ball unless it lands in a pocket. Then it's on the starter side of the table. If you sink the cue ball you forfeit a turn and you lose a ball. You take it out of the pocket to set it up again.
[With that, he strikes and sends the 2 ball into a back corner pocket. ]
[Moving down the table to the other end, Sasuke peers at the eight ball, sizing it up with the rest of the scattered balls.
The rest are a little close together. Tricky. He stands on one side of the table like he plans to set up there, but thinks better of it and moves to the adjacent side. He has to position his fingers high to dodge some of Merriment's solid colors. One is still in the way, but--
He bumps the edge of the cue ball to send it forward and to the side a bit. It hits Merriment's ball at enough of an angle it clips his own 10 and rolls it into the corner pocket.]
I can see why it's about planning. [He pauses as he sets the bottom of the cue stick on the floor to wait.] Itachi... would have liked this.
[Merriment's letting him move, casually leaning against the table to watch and try to pinpoint how, exactly, Sasuke thinks. He's clever, using his opponents for his own game and as the 10 rolls away and sinks in Merriment finds himself a little more impressed.
Granted, then Sasuke brings up Itachi and it's a strange sort of acknowledgement.]
Yeah? He's a big planner, too? [He follows the cue ball and works to line up his shot, bouncing off of the 7 and letting it hit one of the bumpers instead of the side pocket he was aiming for. He's obviously curious about Sasuke's view on his brother though and waits without prompting.]
[Sasuke watches Merriment work the table, and he doesn't seem judging or even arrogant in regards to the bumper hit.
Again, he looks out over the whole of the green, thinking. One of his stripes is close to a pocket, but Merriment's is in the way again. They're too close; hitting any even gently may send them in after his own ball.]
He even spent his death doing the same.
[It's risky, but Sasuke seems to think the higher the risk, the higher the reward. He places his fingers down high again, arcs the cue stick... but waits like he's trying to judge the trajectory, his path. He jabs the cue stick down at the table, popping the ball up in the air over one of Merriment's.
It hits his 14 in, but the cue ball is a bit too fast, and it goes in after it. Sasuke frowns.]
[Ah. So...maybe that's why Sasuke went a little off the rails. He doesn't know the relationship between the Uchihas, just that it changed something based on context clues, and as he watches the ball roll away and the cue ball follow after he leans forward to pull both of them out of the hole. He sets the fourteen back on one end and takes the cue ball with him to the other end.]
Did he ever tell you his plans? Or were those all a huge surprise? [The ball's set down and he eyes the playing field, not yet hitting the cue ball yet.]
[He watches his failure get picked up and placed back, another chance, but he could be behind now. Merriment gets a glance, but then he looks back down the table to watch the rest of the balls for when the cue inevitably comes rolling through.]
Itachi never told me anything. Because I was a part of his plans too.
[Merriment's taking a shot, lining to hit the 1 ball and watching it roll and knock one of Sasuke's out of the way and toward a corner pocket instead. That could have been planned better, but he's distracted by what Sasuke says.]
...really. [That's...not cool.] Did you know that part, at least?
Not for a long time. [It seems, at first, that might be all Sasuke gives Merriment as he watches the ball swerve down the table.] He took his truths to the grave with him.
Someone told me after... what he was really like, what he was really doing. [Carefully, he sets up to take advantage of the ball by the pocket. This time, he doesn't pull any ridiculous stunt, so the cue ball doesn't perish and hold him back.] It was hard to believe them.
But then Itachi was resurrected, and before he left... he showed me the truth.
[Merriment watches Sasuke sink the ball, suddenly starting to think that there are a lot of issues here that maybe caused a lot of damage.]
...are you talking about being resurrected here? Or back where you're from? [Is that a thing that happens? He's also walking around the table and eyeing their set-up to see how the pieces are laid out for now.] It sounds like it'd be hard to believe when you see someone one way and it turns out it's something different.
[Sasuke looks like a dumb little sentinel guard the way he stiffly stands by the table and holds the cue stick on the floor and against his shoulder and chest.]
Where we're from. [Being alive thrice is such a charm.] Itachi was... [He goes quiet for a while, eyes not leaving Merriment's movements on the table, though they seem to be looking through everything distantly.]
He looked out for me when we were young, but he was always too busy to spend time with me. Then one day, I came home, and our clan was slaughtered in the streets and their houses.
And our parents were slaughtered in our house.
Itachi was waiting for me. I asked him why, and he told me he was testing his abilities. That... he left me alive because I wasn't worth killing. I hated him for a long time. More than anything. I traded... everything to be strong enough to kill him for what he had done.
Then I found out... it was all a lie. I had been living all along in a fantasy. Our village was who had turned him into a monster.
[Holy shit. Merriment stops literally all movements and looks up suddenly, trying to get a read on Sasuke's expression and temperament because how can something like that happen without messing someone up?
There's still silence because this is such a fragile topic. He doesn't want to mess this up, but where do you even start?
Man. He's not qualified for this.]
…and so you wanted to go back and destroy the village instead. The people who turned someone you cared about into something…hard to face. [Like. That's fair but holy shit.] And that's why you're against all of this.
[A bunch of entities bringing out the worst in people and making them vicious monsters? Yeah. Okay. That. Makes sense? Yikes.]
[Surprisingly, Sasuke doesn't have the fiery anger for Itachi he had back then. Now he's only... tired. Resigned. This all seems to bother him, of course, but his anger is colder now, icy, and detached.
He looks back at Merriment, the resolve unwavering.]
I'm going to destroy the village that turned my brother into a criminal, and then I'm going to rebuild it into something better. There won't be any leaders. Only me, enduring the burden of everyone's hate so they can work together and know peace.
[His eyes lower again. There's so much more baggage, but it's irrelevant.]
I'll take care of him. I've... realized... [His head turns away.] It doesn't matter if I win. I don't... need any help. I can accomplish this on my own.
So I'll stay with him until the end. Because I believe in what he wants for his world.
[…just a slow nod because okay. Can't blame him, even if he doesn't think that's a great idea?]
…if everyone hates you…that means you're not going for mass genocide? Just destroying the village itself to recreate it. [Right?] It's…admittedly, it's not a bad solution. Having everyone come together with a solid opinion to fuel them and focus on. It worked for us as a team for a while before…
[…this isn't about that.] But that's not a bad lesson to take away from this either. His world vision's pretty good, to tell you the truth. And he likes you a lot. [A sigh though.]
But what are you gonna do about the people that won't leave you alone and will inevitably want to help you? Or stop you because they don't understand?
[Ha ha... well, let's not even broach that. Let Merriment believe all he'll do is break down the village walls and rebuild it again. Yeah. Yep.]
It works. It's always worked. Madara and... Kaguya... Everyone worked together to stop them. Naruto, Sakura, and I... No one could fight each other because we were focused on fighting a greater opponent.
[This is his philosophy on his new ninja revolution. He'll become his niisan.]
Them... [A deep, almost sad frown comes to his face. He looks away.] ...Naruto... [The others here, too. He tried so hard to get them to hate him. He's still trying.]
My last... bonds. I'll do what it takes... to sever them. So I can accomplish what I need to do.
It's how it worked with me and the others, too. We had a bigger problem on our hands that they couldn't take the time to fight with me about being asked to join them. [Overwhelming darkness sure is a big mistake.]
…you ever consider maybe explaining to other people what it is you're doing and letting those bonds help you out? Or at least talk to you if you won't change your mind. [That frown's also worrying, so…] Who's Naruto? And Sakura?
[Friends from his world, he figures, but those are new names.]
[It's clear from his face they're friends, that he's trying to think of another word to use besides friends for whatever reason.] ...annoyances. [They are trying so hard to help him!! Never once have they ever given up on him, and he takes it for granted and spits on it every time! He doesn't deserve Sakura and Naruto.]
What I have to do... isn't something they agree with. But it's something that has to be done. I'll be the one to do it.
[Just like what he's going to fuck up trying to do after this, bless.]
...Sasuke. I'm going to say this once, alright? [He's aware this might be a bad idea, but.] There's always another way to get what you want without taking the shortcuts and doing everything on your own. Trust me.
When I left, I put the others in danger because of something I did on my own that they didn't approve of. I can't go back to them, and they probably don't want me anymore anyway, but that was the biggest mistake I could have made.
You've got a couple of weeks to go. Don't settle on a plan just yet.
[It's cute Merriment is a good person and thinks Sasuke will listen to great and sound advice.
His mismatched eyes lift, peering quietly at Merriment for a long time.] A couple of weeks isn't enough time. [Which really will feel more true to him after the weekend.]
[Merriment needs a crash course in how to deal with teenagers. For a moment, he thinks about telling Sasuke "no", but…maybe he's just a little soft-hearted and figures there's nothing to lose.]
…I spent so many years wondering who I was and why I was brought back. I didn't have any of my memories, and nobody would ever answer me when I asked. When I joined the others, I found a way to get my memories back and figure out who I was. But some things happened and other things became a priority to help one of us before she disappeared. And then we had to make sure another one of us had everything together for Easter. Making eggs, making sure they would get out of the warren without being attacked…I was the most powerful of all of us, so it was my job to guard the warren and protect the eggs to make sure they got to the surface.
I got distracted though when the thing that I wanted was presented right in front of my face. It lured me away and I thought I'd have time to get in and out. A quick detour. Get what I wanted, get back to help the others.
…it was a trap. Nightmares attacked the warren and ruined Easter while I wasn't there. I put somebody else in danger of being forgotten because of it. Everything was a mess and I put everybody at a risk of fading away from existence.
So I left. Went after the guy who tricked me. Lost the fight anyway, but got what I wanted, technically. Sometimes I gotta wonder at what cost though.
[It doesn't make sense in some places, but the overall encounter... is familiar. Recently at home, things had become more messy for Sasuke. But before... back when he had been a part of a team... back when he was getting better, when he was so close to making an unbreakable friendship with two of the most important people to him...
He remembers, craving that one thing about him. The strength to finally beat Itachi, the eyes he needed to beat Itachi, to learn what he thought he knew was the truth. He put the others are risk. He left, and he thought... too... they wouldn't want him back.
Why would they when he had tried to hurt them so much?]
You... [He isn't sure what to say. He's not good with advice, and he's even worse with sympathy.
What he does want to say feels hypocritical.] You regret it?
[It's about what he expected, so he lets Sasuke work out an answer for himself.]
...yeah. I really, really do. [He moves then, lining up with the cue ball to knock his four astray into a side pocket.] But I can't really take it back now. My own weapon was broken and I disappeared before I got the call to ascend to become...well, this.
I took it because I had nowhere else to go. But even now I wish I'd been able to try and fix everything.
i can't believe fucking jack and sasuke get along with shit in common stop
[Now he's just confused. He knows what he wants to do, what he thinks he needs to do, but then having someone just advice him with personal experience... Damn, what does this guy know? Nothing.
Merriment can't understand.]
If you could fix it... What would you do?
[Sasuke carefully sets up for a shot, but there isn't any clear path to get something in. He has to use the cue ball to knock one of Merriment's out of the way, a little further up the table from the pocket.]
me literally from their first thread. suffer with me, thanks
[Merriment sure doesn't understand a damn thing about destroying everything that gave him a bit of happiness because his goals got in the way and he became short-sighted.]
…first thing's first? Damage control. Lots of damage control to try and buy some time before everything was destroyed. Then I'd apologize to the people I hurt and not expect forgiveness but help them anyway. My fault, my mess to fix.
And then? Go after the guy who wanted to destroy everything and take back what's mine. […] They said it wasn't my fault for letting someone else get destroyed, but if I'd been better, maybe it wouldn't have happened. I have to make up for that, too. [He's watching Sasuke assess the table.]
…I got so used to working alone that I think I freaked out a little at working with other people. But now that I've experienced that, I'm not sure I could go back to working by myself. It was nice, you know? Having people trust me. Being more than an irresponsible nuisance.
I don't think I'll get that chance. But other people can. [i.e. you, Sasuke. But he won't force a decision either way.] …as Guardians we were supposed to help protect people. I said I wasn't good at it, but eventually I think I was. I just didn't see it until it was too late.
im literally trying so hard to make him go turbo and you're ruining my PLANS
[Honestly? He thinks about Naruto. (When doesn't he, though.)
The orange idiot who just keeps trying so damn hard to "save" him, and he cant get why. After everything he's done. After boldly proclaiming his self-destructive goals. Come back, Sasuke; We can do it together, Sasuke; We won't give up on you, Sasuke.
His face pinches stubbornly, then falls. He hadn't ever been good at it either, he thinks.
He doesn't lean up from the table. Instead, he punts one of Merriment's balls with the cue stick so it hits the 8 ball and sends it into the closest pocket, knocking several of the other remaining balls out of the way. He straightens, frowning, and he sets the cue stick on the edge of the table.]
I was waiting... in the Valley before I came here. For Naruto. It would be our third true fight, the final fight. I planned to kill him... as my last remaining friend. He was the one who was left standing in my way.
[It's the end of the game, but Merriment holds onto the cue and leans against it a little. He looks comfortable, like he's used to this, and he considers Sasuke's words carefully.]
Why do you think that is? ...even after everything, why do you think he never gave up?
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Nice shot. So now that the balls are split, stripes are yours. You'll want to aim to sink all of the stripes before going for the eight ball. With the eight ball you have to specify which pocket you're going for, but not with the others.
[With that, Merriment looks at the set-up.] We alternate. You can't move the cue ball unless it lands in a pocket. Then it's on the starter side of the table. If you sink the cue ball you forfeit a turn and you lose a ball. You take it out of the pocket to set it up again.
[With that, he strikes and sends the 2 ball into a back corner pocket. ]
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The rest are a little close together. Tricky. He stands on one side of the table like he plans to set up there, but thinks better of it and moves to the adjacent side. He has to position his fingers high to dodge some of Merriment's solid colors. One is still in the way, but--
He bumps the edge of the cue ball to send it forward and to the side a bit. It hits Merriment's ball at enough of an angle it clips his own 10 and rolls it into the corner pocket.]
I can see why it's about planning. [He pauses as he sets the bottom of the cue stick on the floor to wait.] Itachi... would have liked this.
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Granted, then Sasuke brings up Itachi and it's a strange sort of acknowledgement.]
Yeah? He's a big planner, too? [He follows the cue ball and works to line up his shot, bouncing off of the 7 and letting it hit one of the bumpers instead of the side pocket he was aiming for. He's obviously curious about Sasuke's view on his brother though and waits without prompting.]
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[Sasuke watches Merriment work the table, and he doesn't seem judging or even arrogant in regards to the bumper hit.
Again, he looks out over the whole of the green, thinking. One of his stripes is close to a pocket, but Merriment's is in the way again. They're too close; hitting any even gently may send them in after his own ball.]
He even spent his death doing the same.
[It's risky, but Sasuke seems to think the higher the risk, the higher the reward. He places his fingers down high again, arcs the cue stick... but waits like he's trying to judge the trajectory, his path. He jabs the cue stick down at the table, popping the ball up in the air over one of Merriment's.
It hits his 14 in, but the cue ball is a bit too fast, and it goes in after it. Sasuke frowns.]
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Did he ever tell you his plans? Or were those all a huge surprise? [The ball's set down and he eyes the playing field, not yet hitting the cue ball yet.]
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Itachi never told me anything. Because I was a part of his plans too.
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...really. [That's...not cool.] Did you know that part, at least?
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Someone told me after... what he was really like, what he was really doing. [Carefully, he sets up to take advantage of the ball by the pocket. This time, he doesn't pull any ridiculous stunt, so the cue ball doesn't perish and hold him back.] It was hard to believe them.
But then Itachi was resurrected, and before he left... he showed me the truth.
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...are you talking about being resurrected here? Or back where you're from? [Is that a thing that happens? He's also walking around the table and eyeing their set-up to see how the pieces are laid out for now.] It sounds like it'd be hard to believe when you see someone one way and it turns out it's something different.
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Where we're from. [Being alive thrice is such a charm.] Itachi was... [He goes quiet for a while, eyes not leaving Merriment's movements on the table, though they seem to be looking through everything distantly.]
He looked out for me when we were young, but he was always too busy to spend time with me. Then one day, I came home, and our clan was slaughtered in the streets and their houses.
And our parents were slaughtered in our house.
Itachi was waiting for me. I asked him why, and he told me he was testing his abilities. That... he left me alive because I wasn't worth killing. I hated him for a long time. More than anything. I traded... everything to be strong enough to kill him for what he had done.
Then I found out... it was all a lie. I had been living all along in a fantasy. Our village was who had turned him into a monster.
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There's still silence because this is such a fragile topic. He doesn't want to mess this up, but where do you even start?
Man. He's not qualified for this.]
…and so you wanted to go back and destroy the village instead. The people who turned someone you cared about into something…hard to face. [Like. That's fair but holy shit.] And that's why you're against all of this.
[A bunch of entities bringing out the worst in people and making them vicious monsters? Yeah. Okay. That. Makes sense? Yikes.]
...makes sense why you picked Justice then.
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He looks back at Merriment, the resolve unwavering.]
I'm going to destroy the village that turned my brother into a criminal, and then I'm going to rebuild it into something better. There won't be any leaders. Only me, enduring the burden of everyone's hate so they can work together and know peace.
[His eyes lower again. There's so much more baggage, but it's irrelevant.]
I'll take care of him. I've... realized... [His head turns away.] It doesn't matter if I win. I don't... need any help. I can accomplish this on my own.
So I'll stay with him until the end. Because I believe in what he wants for his world.
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…if everyone hates you…that means you're not going for mass genocide? Just destroying the village itself to recreate it. [Right?] It's…admittedly, it's not a bad solution. Having everyone come together with a solid opinion to fuel them and focus on. It worked for us as a team for a while before…
[…this isn't about that.] But that's not a bad lesson to take away from this either. His world vision's pretty good, to tell you the truth. And he likes you a lot. [A sigh though.]
But what are you gonna do about the people that won't leave you alone and will inevitably want to help you? Or stop you because they don't understand?
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It works. It's always worked. Madara and... Kaguya... Everyone worked together to stop them. Naruto, Sakura, and I... No one could fight each other because we were focused on fighting a greater opponent.
[This is his philosophy on his new ninja revolution. He'll become his niisan.]
Them... [A deep, almost sad frown comes to his face. He looks away.] ...Naruto... [The others here, too. He tried so hard to get them to hate him. He's still trying.]
My last... bonds. I'll do what it takes... to sever them. So I can accomplish what I need to do.
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It's how it worked with me and the others, too. We had a bigger problem on our hands that they couldn't take the time to fight with me about being asked to join them. [Overwhelming darkness sure is a big mistake.]
…you ever consider maybe explaining to other people what it is you're doing and letting those bonds help you out? Or at least talk to you if you won't change your mind. [That frown's also worrying, so…] Who's Naruto? And Sakura?
[Friends from his world, he figures, but those are new names.]
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[It's clear from his face they're friends, that he's trying to think of another word to use besides friends for whatever reason.] ...annoyances. [They are trying so hard to help him!! Never once have they ever given up on him, and he takes it for granted and spits on it every time! He doesn't deserve Sakura and Naruto.]
What I have to do... isn't something they agree with. But it's something that has to be done. I'll be the one to do it.
[Just like what he's going to fuck up trying to do after this, bless.]
The same goes for those here.
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...Sasuke. I'm going to say this once, alright? [He's aware this might be a bad idea, but.] There's always another way to get what you want without taking the shortcuts and doing everything on your own. Trust me.
When I left, I put the others in danger because of something I did on my own that they didn't approve of. I can't go back to them, and they probably don't want me anymore anyway, but that was the biggest mistake I could have made.
You've got a couple of weeks to go. Don't settle on a plan just yet.
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His mismatched eyes lift, peering quietly at Merriment for a long time.] A couple of weeks isn't enough time. [Which really will feel more true to him after the weekend.]
...What happened? What you did to the others.
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…I spent so many years wondering who I was and why I was brought back. I didn't have any of my memories, and nobody would ever answer me when I asked. When I joined the others, I found a way to get my memories back and figure out who I was. But some things happened and other things became a priority to help one of us before she disappeared. And then we had to make sure another one of us had everything together for Easter. Making eggs, making sure they would get out of the warren without being attacked…I was the most powerful of all of us, so it was my job to guard the warren and protect the eggs to make sure they got to the surface.
I got distracted though when the thing that I wanted was presented right in front of my face. It lured me away and I thought I'd have time to get in and out. A quick detour. Get what I wanted, get back to help the others.
…it was a trap. Nightmares attacked the warren and ruined Easter while I wasn't there. I put somebody else in danger of being forgotten because of it. Everything was a mess and I put everybody at a risk of fading away from existence.
So I left. Went after the guy who tricked me. Lost the fight anyway, but got what I wanted, technically. Sometimes I gotta wonder at what cost though.
closes my eyes i knew
He remembers, craving that one thing about him. The strength to finally beat Itachi, the eyes he needed to beat Itachi, to learn what he thought he knew was the truth. He put the others are risk. He left, and he thought... too... they wouldn't want him back.
Why would they when he had tried to hurt them so much?]
You... [He isn't sure what to say. He's not good with advice, and he's even worse with sympathy.
What he does want to say feels hypocritical.] You regret it?
sparkles gently hey i hate this btw
...yeah. I really, really do. [He moves then, lining up with the cue ball to knock his four astray into a side pocket.] But I can't really take it back now. My own weapon was broken and I disappeared before I got the call to ascend to become...well, this.
I took it because I had nowhere else to go. But even now I wish I'd been able to try and fix everything.
i can't believe fucking jack and sasuke get along with shit in common stop
Merriment can't understand.]
If you could fix it... What would you do?
[Sasuke carefully sets up for a shot, but there isn't any clear path to get something in. He has to use the cue ball to knock one of Merriment's out of the way, a little further up the table from the pocket.]
me literally from their first thread. suffer with me, thanks
…first thing's first? Damage control. Lots of damage control to try and buy some time before everything was destroyed. Then I'd apologize to the people I hurt and not expect forgiveness but help them anyway. My fault, my mess to fix.
And then? Go after the guy who wanted to destroy everything and take back what's mine. […] They said it wasn't my fault for letting someone else get destroyed, but if I'd been better, maybe it wouldn't have happened. I have to make up for that, too. [He's watching Sasuke assess the table.]
…I got so used to working alone that I think I freaked out a little at working with other people. But now that I've experienced that, I'm not sure I could go back to working by myself. It was nice, you know? Having people trust me. Being more than an irresponsible nuisance.
I don't think I'll get that chance. But other people can. [i.e. you, Sasuke. But he won't force a decision either way.] …as Guardians we were supposed to help protect people. I said I wasn't good at it, but eventually I think I was. I just didn't see it until it was too late.
im literally trying so hard to make him go turbo and you're ruining my PLANS
The orange idiot who just keeps trying so damn hard to "save" him, and he cant get why. After everything he's done. After boldly proclaiming his self-destructive goals. Come back, Sasuke; We can do it together, Sasuke; We won't give up on you, Sasuke.
His face pinches stubbornly, then falls. He hadn't ever been good at it either, he thinks.
He doesn't lean up from the table. Instead, he punts one of Merriment's balls with the cue stick so it hits the 8 ball and sends it into the closest pocket, knocking several of the other remaining balls out of the way. He straightens, frowning, and he sets the cue stick on the edge of the table.]
I was waiting... in the Valley before I came here. For Naruto. It would be our third true fight, the final fight. I planned to kill him... as my last remaining friend. He was the one who was left standing in my way.
Trying to stop me. Never giving up.
I ASKED FOR NONE OF THIS...
Why do you think that is? ...even after everything, why do you think he never gave up?
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