netherwork | audio ↪ un: 012601

We've all had some time to settle in. Hopefully everyone's holding up all right!

For those of you I haven't spoken with, my name's Sakura. I'm both a doctor and healer and I have a little ad hoc clinic down by the docks. （ a helpful location ping follows this. ） If you ever find yourself needing medical care, please reach out and let me know. There's at least one other person here with medical experience that I know of as well, but I'll let them speak up if they want to make themselves known — and I'm happy to collaborate with anyone else, none of us can be everywhere at once.

（ paging

terraria, party of bird. ）

As for my reason for addressing you all... I'm looking to keep blood on hand for medical emergencies, transfusions and any surgeries that may be necessary. If anyone is willing to come down to the clinic and give a donation, it'd be very appreciated. I promise it only hurts a little! And you'll even get a candy afterwards! While supplies last.

Those with O-negative and O-positive types would be ideal. If you don't happen to know what your blood-type is, I can run a test for you.

Thanks everyone!

（ she's almost finished, and it seems like that might have been the last thing... but a few minutes later, she clicks the feed on again: ）

I'm still looking for information on anyone who's undergone the soulbond as well. Purely for research purposes. You can reply anonymously if you'd like, or privately if that's easier. I promise anything you say will be kept confidential.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ perhaps it’s that keith feels a little indebted to her. she says she’ll help shiro, y’know. whether or not shiro takes her up on the offer? jury’s out. but in the meantime – keith can offer his voice. ]

Doubt my blood’s any good.

[ half-breed alien here. ]

But I, uhm… that last part. You wanna compile research for – what? What’re you gonna do with it?

Hi, Keith.

（ look, after her talk with shiro she has a... slightly... (slightly) better opinion of mr. fusspot over here, so her tone is actually warm and friendly. a wild greeting-by-name appears. ）

You're a fighter though, right? Would it be of use to you to have some of your blood stored in case you're ever injured?

（ she knows far too many stoic assholes, tbh. ）

As for the soulmates — I mostly want to analyze what the benefits and pitfalls are. I was suspicious at first... we've all barely just arrived, and we're being told we need to do this thing we know almost nothing about... I've spoken to more people about it since then, but I'd still like to know how it's impacting people's day to day lives. It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, though.

[ sakura with the gift of foresight; keith could learn a thing or two from her. ]

If you’re gonna let my blood bags take up space in your clinic, the least I can do is tell you what I know.

[ does that cover the storage fee? otherwise, he, uh, has a few screaming coins?? anyway. ]

Which isn’t a whole lot. Just, um… you know the items in our rooms? The things they call tethers? When I touched one of his, it started glowing blue and then I could – feel him? Sense him. Like – [ HEH ] – a literal bonding of the soul, I guess.

（ wow, that was almost... reasonable of him?

sakura: notoriously willing to forgive questionable behaviour from attractive surly men, is sufficiently prodded from 'cordial neutrality' to 'might like'. ）

Okay. And has anything changed with you two that you've noticed? Any emotional transference, things of that nature...? It seems that man from the Hierarchy claimed they help keep our Shadows in check.

[ don’t worry. this bad haircut with an equally bad attitude will likely say something to knock them back down to indifferent acquaintances. ]

We haven’t been bonded all that long. [ it’s the beginnings of a disclaimer: don’t base anything off of him, he’s still figuring it out. ] We’ve been close for years… he’s my best friend. So, I mean, we’re in tune with each other anyway.

[ mostly. ]

At times I think I can feel what he’s feeling… – I think? [ he said that twice. ] It’s not like it’s clear-cut. We’re connected, so it’s hard to tell where he ends and I start? [ wow, that sounded like some chick flick garbage. a huff, exasperated. ] I think he was telling the truth, though. The Hierarchy guy. My Shadow’s been quieter.

（ that makes keith the first person in their... what, cohort? to say as much. she's had a lot of practice in suppressing the darker parts of herself, that inner mind that so surprised ino when they fought during the chuunin exams... but her control is wearing thin, and the lapses are happening more often.

she's not worried about herself. the worst her shadow has been up to so far is being catty and manipulative, and she's certain it will be subtle enough about it that most people won't even notice. but naruto and sasuke...? she worries about them both. ）

It's your friend Shiro, right...? I spoke with him. Not that I'd wish this place on anyone we love, but I'm glad you have each other. It seems like you were good candidates for this bond.

[ it's not an entirely novel concept for keith. even back home, his "shadow" must have been preparing for the grand day it'd be freed, at a constant struggle with the many intricate layers of human emotions. it's not all that different here. it's just heavier.

and kind of a spectacular asshole. ]

Yeah, he's... saved me. Many times. I owe him my life. [ a beat, a tad awkward in its sudden silence. ] Anyway, that's pretty much all I can tell you. Can't speak for others, but I hope it helps.

（ oh, did we stumble into 'too much about emotion, must flee' pushback from the local archetype with which she's all too familiar? sakura suppresses a faint smile. boys. ）

I'm sure it will. Thank you, Keith, I appreciate your candid responses. Do you mind if I share this information with others, without your name or circumstances attached? It might help people to know that there is at least one proven instance of the bond helping with a Shadow, too.

[ yeah, so, yeah, so? emotions are Hard and keith would very much like to avoid feeling squirmy and warm over his own text bubbles. his hand is metaphorically hovering over the eject button, but he can spare a few more seconds. ]

Sure, okay. [ a beat of hesitation and then: ] I’ll let you know… if there’s a change with my Shadow. I don’t want people banking on my experience if the reprieve doesn’t last. Would feel like a bait and switch, you know?

Mm. I think all we can really do right now is gather information, with the understanding that it may not be complete, or necessarily accurate for anyone.

（ but, she'll take one small mercy on the boy — ）

I'll let you go for now. But please reach out if you need me, okay?

[ sakura is kind. sakura is good. but keith is a stubborn fool more often than not when it comes to seeking help from others. truly a toss-up if he’ll take her up on the offer when the need arises. ]

Yeah, okay. [ a pause. ] Thanks.

[ and then the line is closed. not one for polite goodbyes, it seems. ]

audio ↪ un: 012601

private audio; un: keith

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