First Howl ♋ [Action/Voice]

[keepitcanine]

All right!

Listen up and listen good, you sick freaks! I don't know what kind of stupid joke you bastards are trying to pull, but it ends here, right now!

[For those nearby, in the forest Kiba and Hinata have found themselves in, they might be able to hear or even witness the heated broadcast first-hand. Otherwise, their voices and an occasional camera snapshot is going to be all available to the casual or curious listener. Even so, the journal's camera might be just useful enough to capture the current moment: Hinata, who is just behind Kiba, has a worried look on her face in contrast to Kiba's absolutely livid one. When Hinata starts to talk, her voice is soft and incomparable to Kiba's challenging tone.] Um, Kiba-kun…?

[If Kiba heard her, he shows no indication of it, his voice a frustrated snarl.] Where is he?! Where. Is. Akamaru?

Kiba-kun?

[Kiba voice lowers, though it loses little of its emotional edge.] If you people have hurt him, I’ll—I’ll—

Kiba-kun, please. [This time, Hinata's voice is louder than her first few attempts. She even puts a gentle hand on his shoulder to get his attention, if not to calm the angry ninja. Kiba stops, and the journals might detect a brief pause as Kiba turns his head to regard her, his voice softening, though it's still sharp and brittle.]

What?

[She's startled to silence for a beat or two before she composes herself and gives that shoulder a very soft squeeze of reassurance.] I just think you- you should calm down for a while... Akamaru-kun shouldn't be too far and I think we can find him if we look hard enough. Would you mind if I- if I address the citizens of this place instead?

[There's a pause that's soon followed by a rustle of sound as the journal changes hands. The grimace on his face is almost detectable.] All right. Fine. You do it. Doesn't matter to me anyway.

[When Hinata receives his journal, she gives him a small smile of thanks. Unlike Kiba's previous address, Hinata's attempt will be gentle and polite.] To— To anyone who has seen a tall white dog, he belongs to my friend. Please, we'd like to have him back. Whoever took him, Akamaru-kun is part of our team and we will not stand around until we find him. We will also—

[Then Kiba's voice suddenly cuts in from a small distance away.] You tell those bastards that if they've done anything, and I mean anything, to him, I'll make them regret it! I'll find them and shove these stupid, goddamn wings down their throats! Don't think I won't!

[She gives him an understanding smile. He's going through a lot and if she was the one who had someone precious to her taken away, she'd be distressed too. Turning to the journal again, Hinata continues her diplomatic speech with a more determined face that even the camera likely captures.]—not hesitate to perform necessary procedures if we ever discover that he is injured or hurt.

Thank you.

[And the feed snaps off with an audible click. Though those within the forest might still come upon them, perhaps just after their broadcast as they talk on the ground floor, or perhaps sometime later as they jump from tree to tree in rapid, though attentive haste, pausing every little while to rest briefly.]

Comments

[Voice] 1/2

[endgames]

[...what the hell, it's like his entire graduating class is dropping in now. Who's next? Iruka-sensei?]

[Voice]

[endgames]

Oi, oi, Hinata. [Welcome back. It doesn't look like you remember stopping in before, though.]

Tell Kiba to chill out, will you?

[He... kinda grew up around Kiba, so he knows how impossible of a task that may actually be. It's Akamaru. But if anyone can get him to sit still for sixty seconds, it's going to be Hinata.]

[Voice] 1/idk

[keepingitcanine.livejournal.com]

[And have Kiba's voice drown out just about everything else. Sorry, Hinata.]

CHILL OUT? Chill out? What right do you have to tell me to "chill out," you lazy, good-for-nothing—

[Voice]

[keepingitcanine.livejournal.com]

[Waaaiiiiit a minute.]

[Voice]

[keepingitcanine.livejournal.com]

Shikamaru?

[He doesn't know what type of zen Shikamaru is currently smoking (how the hell can he sound so calm?) but he both literally and metaphorically wants to punch it in the face.]

[voice] /done

[keepingitcanine.livejournal.com]

Shut up!

I don't have time to listen to your strategic bullshit. I don't know if you heard, but Akamaru's missing.

[voice]

[endgames]

Loud and clear, idiot. I know it sucks, but freaking out isn't going to help you find him.

[He has more to add to that, but let's take this one step at a time.]

[voice] 1/2

[keepingitcanine.livejournal.com]

...Remind me to punch you in the face the next time I see you.

[Which will be, of course, after he finds Akamaru, you jerk.]

[voice]

[keepingitcanine.livejournal.com]

...And I'm not freaking out. I know what freaking out looks like, and I'm not freaking out!

[He's having a very sane emotional reaction thankyouverymuch.]

[voice]

[endgames]

[And people tell him the Kage Mane is a bad technique to know. 8|]

Prove it by sitting still long enough for me to explain to you what's going on.

[voice]

[keepingitcanine.livejournal.com]

[Have some incomprehensible sputtering on the other line.]

You have no—

Tch! Fine! But hurry up.

[voice]

[endgames]

[Make sure you pay attention then. 8| But no, that's his job, as the one explaining it.]

We're all in a different world right now, Kiba. Farthest place from Konoha or wherever the hell you were at that you can think of right now.

And before you say it - yeah, I know how stupid that sounds. But it's the truth.

[voice]

[keepingitcanine.livejournal.com]

It doesn't just sound stupid, it sounds absolutely retarded.

[voice]

[endgames]

Heh. Not gonna argue with you on that one.

Re: [voice]

[keepingitcanine.livejournal.com]

Course you're not.

What else?

[And if he sounds impatient, it's because he is.]

[Voice] 1/2

[warmest-eyes.livejournal.com]

I'm-- I'm trying my best to. [But Hinata understands why Kiba's like this, so she can't possibly hold it against him or anything.]

[Voice]

[warmest-eyes.livejournal.com]

But, ah-- [Back to her one other goal: Information.] Shikamaru-kun, do you know where we are?

[Voice]

[endgames]

[Sneeeerk. Okay, he'll just talk to you, Hinata, while Kiba's having his epiphany over there.]

I do. It's a place called Luceti, Hinata. Kind've a long story. [So first things first:] Besides Akamaru being missing, are you guys okay where you're at?

[Voice]

[warmest-eyes.livejournal.com]

[Luceti? That doesn't sound like any ninja village she's heard of. Were they kidnapped?]

We are. Although-- [A beat.] Will you also be able to tell us why we- we have these wings?

[Voice]

[endgames]

Best guess I have for that is that some idiot scientist got bored. [Eiiiither that or the Malnosso wanted an insta-kill switch.]

But whatever you do, don't try to get them off. It could kill you.

[Voice]

[warmest-eyes.livejournal.com]

It could... [That's not what he said, right?] I beg your pardon?

[Voice]

[endgames]

[Sorry, Hinata.]

You heard me right.

[Voice]

[warmest-eyes.livejournal.com]

[She glances back at her white wings. Nope, not going to even attempt touching them for now. They're small enough to know they wouldn't be able to carry her so that's one reason down. Shikamaru might as well be right about the boredom.]

I... I understand. [Slight pause.] Are Ino-san and Chouji-kun with you? [We'll appreciate all the help we can get.]

Re: [Voice]

[endgames]

[.....]

Ino is. Not sure where she's at right now. But there's a few other people from home here too.

[Voice]

[warmest-eyes.livejournal.com]

[Ino's in her apartment taking a beauty rest!]

Alright, I see. [A beat.] But, Shikamaru-kun, where exactly is... this Luceti place? [Something tells her she wouldn't like the answer to that, but she has to know.]