[OPEN]

[daddyscythe]

Characters: OPEN
Location: Outskirts of Nevada
Rating: PG
Time: All day, Feb 27
Description: Shibusen offers a field trip to acclimate the guests to the Madness wavelength.


It's a perfectly pleasant day for the most part, if one is to look at the sky and maybe the horizon. For the attendees of the fieldtrip, however, things are naturally a lot more grim, if also lot more colorful. There are understandably no civilians in the area -- or any other signs of life apart from the group.

As promised, the location is extensively arranged to cordon off various areas of the place where Madness spikes have been identified. They are all properly labeled, both with text and visuals, and discreet agents kept an eye on all corners of the large field. The mirror by which the guest will come in is set in a corner, with some food provided next to it.

People are free to come and go, though the other end leads to the clinic instead of the Death Room. The rules are simple: venture into a level you think you can handle, and if you can't, someone will help.

In the afternoon, a light rain will come to add some variety to the endless desert. Make sure to take shelter in the open tents provided to protect you from the elements!

[ooc: Just put in open tags in the comments, [Character Name | Open/Close | Area/sort of madness targeted/whatever marker you want].

Plotting and information post was here.]

Comments

[spandexisyouth]

"...I misunderstood the question, I think. You are asking how many I have partnered with?" How many had he? Auron, Tassadar, Kakashi. Was that all? "I have worked with three, and will work with Tenten, so that will make four."

He straightened up, squaring his shoulders. "And not a single one has been better than you. You are my actual partner. The others have been temporary." Gai was getting angry, and he fought it back. "I. Love. You. I do not love the others. Resonance with someone I do not care so deeply for will always be weaker than working with someone I care a great deal for. Do not ask again. Do not treat me like I am fickle. I have been by your side for over two decades, Kakashi, and I do not back down and leave people behind."

[grab_my_bells]

Three. Three others, none of whom Gai said he preferred more. That was all, and yet felt like so many more. Kakashi had felt like maybe Gai was dissatisfied with him--as Sasuke had been with his teaching. It made him feel very foolish and vulnerable. Was this what their relationship had evolved into? Kakashi could not remember being jealous about Gai before.

It was a very strange realization.

The Madness poked at his consciousness, trying to suggest Gai could be lying about the other Meisters' lack of importance, but Kakashi was starting to get a foothold above the negative emotions. Gai was dedicated, he reminded himself. Gai was faithful. Gai was a good friend above all else. It took a lot of effort to focus his thoughts on good, positive things, but, breathing in and out slowly, almost meditative, he thought about Gai, about those twenty-plus years together. There was plenty of good moments to think about, he realized.

Kakashi took Gai's hand. The resonance was shaky, worse than even their first time, but Kakashi's grip was firm.

"I'm ...sorry," he said, not trusting himself yet to hold onto his real feelings for any longer explanation or apology. That recovery took too long. He wouldn't have that kind of time on the battlefield, and that could spell disaster for the both of them. "Can we try this again?" Kakashi was drained and exhausted and in need of a break.

[spandexisyouth]

Gai threaded his fingers through Kakashi's, closing his eyes and allowing himself to feel some relief. Not only had Kakashi stopped questioning him, but he'd apologized, and that was a rare thing indeed. Sure, he could feel something urging him to be resentful, angry, but it wasn't him. It was the madness, and he was here for Kakashi.

"It is all right, my beloved Rival." He worked to balance their resonance out, to stabilize it. At least his ability was good for that. "We can. I am here for you, and we can work on this as much as we need to. The madness will not break us again."

He managed a wan smile despite the moods he could feel welling up. Madness was a harsh thing, abrasive and determined. All of the preparation Gai thought he had made was wearing down already. But if he focused on his feelings for Kakashi, he thought that he should be able to make it.

"How do we start it again? Or do you mean we stay here and talk?"

[grab_my_bells]

Kakashi sighed at the 'beloved' part of the familiar title. "It might," he said, trying to be realistic and hoping it didn't come out as Madness-induced negativity. "We'll probably fall down a lot before we can run." Gai was used to that; Kakashi, who had things come naturally so much of his life, was not quite so accustomed.

He looked down at their hands. Strange how simple a connection could do so much for their moods sometimes. He had never really held hands before Gai. "Maybe talk. I don't know. Give me a minute to think." Outside of Madness, Kakashi wasn't very good with putting words to his feelings and then putting those feelings to voice, not if they didn't have to do with defending Konoha and working as a team. "What would we talk about?"

[spandexisyouth]

"But we will run in the end." Gai's voice was determined. He knew it wasn't so easy for Kakashi, who didn't have to rely on hard work, but they could do it together.

What would they talk about? They had to focus on them, to make this work, right? Gai found himself turning red. He was not going to talk like that, not in public, not out here. "Anything!" That was said too hastily. "Challenges. We could... challenges that we have done. That were not here. That were home. Because those are good topics. Very good." And now even his ears were red. Plus he was still holding Kakashi's hand. There was no way his Rival couldn't know how his thoughts had gone.

[grab_my_bells]

He just nodded. Gai would have to have faith for the both of them.

Kakashi smiled as Gai's mind obviously went somewhere his hadn't yet, and he felt the looming Madness continue to be pushed further out of his immediate mood. "Mm, true~" he teased Gai with a suggestive tone. "I do enjoy our challenges... I'd ask you to tell me your favorite, but then you might want to reenact it, and here hardly seems the place."

The slyness in his smile faded, replaced instead by fondness and nostalgia. "I liked the race, when my name was in the running for Hokage. And some of the idiotic ones from when we were kids."

[spandexisyouth]

"It is good to do more challenges," Gai retorted, but it was a weak retort. It was a relief to have Kakashi sounding more like himself, even if it was teasing in public and not a topic they should really be on. Especially not on something official.

Slowly he began to smile. "You liked that race because you won, and Lee said so. ...But I liked it as well. And what we did as children. We will continue to challenge each other, Kakashi, as Eternal Rivals."

[grab_my_bells]

Official or not, Kakashi felt more himself while teasing and if that was what drove away the Madness, it was what he would resort to doing. Even if it was in public. At least none of his or Gai's students were in earshot.

"Mm, I do enjoy winning in front of your students. Especially Lee." Kakashi gave Gai's hand a squeeze. "And maybe you should challenge me to be a better Meister. If I beat that challenge, I can have another dog, maybe? ...A big one?" For being normally aloof, he looked awfully hopeful and puppy-eyed at that request.

[spandexisyouth]

"Kakashi!" Gai could protest a third dog all he wanted, but he was full aware of the fact that he was going to lose. His Rival would get another one. Gai just hoped he could keep it at three.

He looked down at the hand that had just been squeezed. Kakashi didn't do that often. "Then I challenge you, Kakashi, to be a better Meister. You are already my best. But you can improve, and so, for the price of one final dog, this is your challenge."

[grab_my_bells]

"Hm~?"

"Maybe tomorrow I can get Sai and Obito to help me pick out a dog. You can...hold onto it for me to reward me with when I complete the challenge," Kakashi suggested 'innocently,' as if it wasn't a plot of have the dog in the house now rather than later. Although he was making light of the reward, Kakashi did intend to take this 'challenge' seriously. He felt he owed it to Gai (and to Obito, in a way) to be a better man than he was, and a better Rival and Meister. He would try, starting with this Madness thing. He honestly wasn't sure where or how to start, only that he needed to.

[spandexisyouth]

"That is hardly how a challenge goes!" Gai's hands went to his hips. "You fulfill it, and then you get a reward! Or deal with the consequences! You do not get the reward before even starting the challenge!" He shook his head. "You can get the puppy when you begin fulfilling your challenge!" Gai pointed at Kakashi. "You know that, my Eternal Rival." He could feel the madness still there, at the edge of his mind, but it was losing its hold. He felt much more like himself again.

[grab_my_bells]

"I had to try" Kakashi teased, before adding with more seriousness. "I'll begin fulfilling it when I figure out how." He hated to admit any shortcomings, but Gai was Gai, and if anyone knew, or needed to know, his shortcomings as well as (if not better than) Kakashi himself, it was Gai. Loath as Kakashi was to admit it sometimes. "I might need your help with that." Which meant he did, most definitely. "Maybe." He threw in a shrug for added effect. No matter how good Gai had become at reading underneath the underneath, and how much Kakashi needed to ask the favor, he wouldn't make it too easy and obvious...

[spandexisyouth]

"Of course you did." Gai's voice was gentle. He knew how his Rival worked. And, knowing how his Rival worked, he knew that the deflection after the request for help meant Kakashi did need help. Gai reached over and put his hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "I will be here for you, Kakashi, and I will help you. Together we will find the path to becoming the best Meister possible!" He gave Kakashi's shoulder an encouraging squeeze.

[grab_my_bells]

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said, brushing Gai's hand off his shoulder coolly only to take the hand afterward. "I need a break from this for now, though, if you want to go get a snack?" Kakashi recalled seeing refreshments set up near the entrance mirror, and while he wasn't really hungry, he needed a moment away from the Madness. Even with it mostly contained, he still had to always be on his guard (more than normal), and right now he kind of just wanted to relax with Gai for a bit before trying this again.

[spandexisyouth]

"It is not whatever." The normal volume behind statements like that wasn't present, though. Not when Kakashi had taken his hand. He nodded. It would be nice to think straight and to not have that bearing down on him. With a tug of the hand Gai lead the way out of the Madness area, very glad to feel like himself again when he stepped out.