text; un: taka

[retsuden]

[ There has been a great deal of things that Sasuke has learned about in the few weeks he's been here just from talking to new people. All of them have been extremely confusing concepts, like therapy and the idea that people take care of children when they don't have anyone else to take care of them.

Some of these conversations where he's learned things have ended in more questions than answers. He could ask for more clarification from the few he's already made contact with, but the more possible answers he can get, the better. He thinks.

He hopes.

This could be a mistake. ]

How would you suggest someone improve their communication skills?

If your go to response is "talk to people", spare me. I'm only interested in more thorough answers.

Comments

[retsuden]

I guess that seems simple enough.

[asas]

awesome!! glad i could help! ✌️

so what’s your name? call me shōyō! or hinata’s fine, too, if you’re better with surnames!

[retsuden]

Uhchiha Sasuke. You can call me by either.

[asas]

woahhh, that’s a super strong name!! congrats!! [ it almost sounds like the names in weekly jump—! almost!! but fourth wall breakage, begone! ] what do you do usually? like as a job?

[retsuden]

Thank you. My brother gave it to me.

[ tho after all that bullshit, would he really be shocked if there was a manga written about his stupid ass journey??? probably not. ] I'm a shinobi.

[asas]

oh what????? no way no way!!! a real last standing shinobi??? you don’t see masters around like that anymore!!! the ones out there are like, hidden schools!! or super top secret i bet! to make us think it’s instinct!

that’s incredible!!!

[retsuden]

[ WHAT IS HE EVEN TALKING ABOUT, give him a second to try and parse through this. Or like a whole ass minute. ​]

They're fairly common where I'm from. Our schools are out in the open and anyone who passes the exams can attend.

[asas]

I MEANT EXTINCT NOT INSTINCT
holy crap!!!!!
so it’s like an entire hidden shinobi village?!?

[retsuden]

... Yes.

[asas]

so lucky. you’re so lucky……
they gave me a ninja nickname back home while i was playing beach volleyball but that’s just so tiny compared to the real deal!

[retsuden]

Ninja nickname...?

[asas]

“ninja shōyō”!! nowhere as cool as actually being a ninja, right?

[retsuden]

I don't know that I'd call being a ninja very cool. It's just what I'm good at.

[asas]

it’s what you do best, sure. but it’s cool to me.

is there something you think is cool?

[retsuden]

[ Is there...? He has to think about this, give him a minute. Or like five. ]

People who don't give up on their dreams.

[asas]

that’s somehow better than cool
that’s, like
beyond awesome
inspirational
do your dreams keep changing too?

[retsuden]

I don't think I really have any anymore. They used to be consistent, but I realized that they would only continue a cycle I no longer wanted to be apart of.
Do you have difficulty keeping yours?

[asas]

oh, i see! it’s brave of you to make your choices!

i don’t have difficulty in keeping them— i think they just change with time? like in high school i wanted to win nationals. we got close a few times and never did, but after that i realized that if i wanted to keep playing volleyball for as long as i can, i had to get better. only the best players get to stay on the court.

then there was v league, playing for the olympics (huge dream come true!!!) and then the men’s international championships! it keeps changing but in the end i just want to stay on that court for as long as i can.

[retsuden]

[ will he ever fully understand anything shōyō says?? the world will never know. he can kind of put things together if he squints at it. at least enough to get that it's a very important, competitive sport and that's all that matters. ]

Dreams evolving is usually a sign that you're taking them seriously the more you expand your knowledge.

One question: what are the Olympics?

[asas]

[ he feels good about that! coming from a ninja? like, sweet compliment 🤲 ]

the olympics is a sporting event! athletes from all around the world compete with each other and represent their country— as the country’s best players in a ton of sports!

i was #10 on japan’s national men’s volleyball team in 2021!

[retsuden]

Your dreams are very large, then. I wish you luck with them. And congratulations on your win, it seems like your path is already strong.

[asas]

hey, thanks!! i hope you’re happy with your path these days too!

plus, you’re great with conversations! keep it up! 👍