The Sharingan's Voice

Chapter 9.3 Interactions

"You can sit on the bed."

The item in question was at one side of the room, in the corner, the headboard and one side against the wall, there was a dresser beside the bed and on top of it lay the fabric arm protectors he had seen Tatakai wear before. Shikamaru went over to the bed to sit down on one end, cross legged.

"You decided to soundproof your room!?" He stated.

"Hn"

"Oh well, there are a few things I wanted to talk to you about...." Sasuke nodded, already having guessed that much. "...I heard about your little stay in the hospital." Oh shit, he'd totally forgotten about that.. Luckily he'd had a lot of practice at keeping a straight face.

"So?" Sasuke coldly regarded him, hiding any reaction of having been caught off guard.

"Kakashi's theory is that it was caused by the slave seal."

"So?"

"I asked Sai about slave seals. He said that it might have been an activated punishment, he wouldn't tell me how it works though."

"It's an agreement amongst slaves to keep the experienced functions and their workings a secret." Tatakai said as if it was an obvious fact.

Shikamaru nodded, then continued after a pause: "Do you want to be an active Ninja?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Well, do you?" The other asked and Sasuke very much wanted to dodge the question. He didn't like the direction this conversation was taking at all.

"Explain what you mean!" He knew the questions weren't random, no matter how much they seemed to be. Shikamaru appeared bored, uncaring and that made Sasuke even more wary, though he knew it was normal behavior with the Nara.

"Having a reason to utilize your skill. Being able to practice and use those skills. Do you want that?"

"Do you have any idea what being a slave can be like?" Anger was stirring in him.

"I got some theories."

"Then you know the answer." Sasuke bit out.

"Glad we cleared that up, because you've got a problem: As long as they don't know what caused it, you won't be able to go on any serious missions, they won't risk others having to risk themselves to save your hide because you're not trusting them with your weak spot."

"It won't happen on a real mission."

"And how do you prove that?"

"It is very unlikely...."

"I think you're grabbing for straws." Shikamaru calmly said and Sasuke realized that some kind of trap had shut... forget the crumbling deal, Shikamaru had found a great way to corner him and subtly, too. Sasuke scowled, this was going into the exact opposite direction than he had intended to argue about with Shikamaru, and not for the reasons he had anticipated and prepared for. He was fighting a losing battle, he'd never get a spot on Team Seven if... a thought came to him:

"If I tell Sakura, and I'll tell only her because she's the only one that would need to know, can you get me cleared for missions outside the village and a permanent spot on Team Seven?"

"Why would you want a spot on a team with the person that's most likely to set off that punishment function that everyone is worried about? Why not just suggest working on a different team to avoid the matter?" As Shikamaru spoke the words, Sasuke realized that another little trap had snapped shut. Sasuke glowered at the Nara, who seemed as passive as ever. It pissed him off. Then Shikamaru leaned back against the wall and continued in the same slightly bored manner: