October Test Drive Meme!

[reddosmod]

OCTOBER 2022 TDM

Another month, another test drive meme! Our test drive memes are open to anyone interested - regardless of whether or not you join our game!

All Test Drive Memes are game canon. Players can choose to keep their TDM threads canon or not. TDM threads can be used for AC and can be used as your writing sample for your application.

Our TDMs serve as a way to build into the actual lore and worldbuilding of Deer Country and we strongly encourage everyone to enjoy and participate! Current players are always welcome to pull prompts from the TDM to reference on the Network or bring into logs as well as tag out to new characters top-leveling on the TDM itself.

Characters will always be able to actively die during TDMs as this is an extremely dangerous world. You can still have this be game canon! Check out how character death in Deer Country works here.

If you have any questions about the TDM, please ask down below!

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: A snowy, rocky beach in winter. ]
[Image Two: Bowls of mushroom soup and bread. ]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Dali painting of the moon as a city]
[Image Two: Twisted, warped cityscape]

Prompt Three
[Image One: Monster choking a sleeping person to death]
[Image Two: Death hovering over a sleeping person]

BONUS PROMPT
[Image One: Liminal Space image of a nondescript room with strange ledges]
[Image Two: Cenobite woman with borg-like attachments to her face]

[NAVIGATION]

TDM Questions • Reserves • Taken • Applications • Full Navigation

[Jump to Comments]

STANDARD ARRIVAL

WHEN: First Week of NOvember
WHERE: The Farther Shores/The Boardwalk, Koz's Orphanage
CONTENT WARNINGS: N/A

---

You're one of the lucky ones. Your journey is smooth sailing and you wind up exactly where you're supposed to: on the Farther Shores. You grow out of your squid body without a hitch, either with the help of another Sleeper or one of the Wakers, and you get to discover this new world. All new Sleepers might take some time to find their bearings. It might be tricky to remember how to use your body parts the way you're supposed to. You might stumble around the beach or forget how to talk - but don't worry! It'll come back to you sooner or later.

Hopefully, you've found something to wear, either in your Welcoming Bag or otherwise, and can start familiarizing yourself with your surroundings. Maybe you help some other squids out on the beach. Waking up sucks! You feel for the little guys. And hey, maybe you're hoping one of those squids is a good friend...Stranger things have happened.

SEASONAL DETAILS ON THE BOARDWALK
This is not the greatest month to wash up on the Farther Shores. It's November and you'll pretty much immediately hate it! The waters are frigid but not quite frozen yet, but that won't make your arrival any less uncomfortable. Thankfully the Boardwalk seems well-stocked with heavy blankets and furs to give to newly awakened Sleepers. Barrels of hot chocolate and hot alcoholic cider are readily available to warm people up. There are several stalls selling hearty soups willed with mushrooms, potatoes, beans, and other filling components.

Fresh baked bread and pastries are sold on wax paper. Enjoy a steaming cinnamon roll or croissant or just your standard bread and butter. Many bakers have set up temporary stoves and seem to invite teaching Sleepers how to cook and prepare bread and pastries. Maybe knead some dough, learn some tricks of the trade. If you help out ab baker, they might even thank you with a sack of flour or other ingredients for bread!

Like last year, as the Moon shifts to Bone, whispers and hushed talk begins anew among the Trenchies about The Tower. There are whispers that something feels wrong. "You know Trench is his body, right?" one might say. "But look at what's been happening. Is everything alright?" There is nervousness, agitation. Trenchies can't seem to put a finger on it. One of the old fishermen mutters under his or her breath if overheard in this time. "Long time since we tried to leave the Tower's shield. Hope didn't bring anything back from out there. World's a strange place."

None of them seem to have anything specific to add. They just seem nervous for some reason.

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

IMAGE OF THE SELF

WHEN: Halloween through all November
WHERE: All of Trench
CONTENT WARNINGS: Distorted Reality, horrifying cityscape images, mounting paranoia, displacement

---

"They say that Trench is the body of the Tower." It is a saying so often repeated during the Bone Moon season that it becomes more of a mantra. Whether or not it is actually true remains a hotly contested debate between Arcane Scholars and Disciples, one of the few times that neither side fully agrees even with themselves. Yet, if it is true, what happens if the person whose body serves as a city begins to have an identity crisis of sorts? That certainly seems to be the case this month.

At random times, it just happens. You're walking from one place to another with your friend. You just stepped out of a lantern network teleportation circle. You open a door. Suddenly, everything is just wrong. It feels like you are in a surrealist's nightmare. Walls appear to be bleeding concrete in all directions. Stairwells twist impossibly, as if M. C. Escher himself were the architect. The pathway to where you intended to go warps and transforms itself into a perilous, twisted monstrosity that you have to navigate. Worse? The way you got here is just gone behind you, leaving you only the path forward.

Navigating this isn't impossible, but you will definitely need help. It might be that one has to stand on another's shoulders to get over an obstacle and then help them up. Maybe someone very small has to crawl into an opening to reach the door handle so the way through can be found. It varies, and the effect lasts only as long as it takes to get where you're going, but while you're here the reality continues to shift and some of these twistings could easily crush you! Don't tarry too long!

NOTE: The physical danger here is from environmental hazards. Feel free to choose any you like, but they will all return to normal when your character reaches their intended destination. Trenchies know nothing about this, though if one asks one of the former wastes, they will ward themselves as if against evil. They know something, but they dare not speak and will whisper hurriedly that the sleeper had best not talk too openly about this. "Best not to draw attention right now."

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP

WHEN: Last Week of October through the first week of November
WHERE: At Home, in your bed
CONTENT WARNINGS: Severe Insomnia, Sleep Deprivation, Deprivation induced hallucinations and mood swings

---

Something is clawing at your mind from the moment that the first signs of the cold coming. You can't put your finger on it, but even as you see the people of Trench preparing for the next month's arrival of sleepers, you can see they feel it too. Something claws at the mind and for a few people in Trench, this becomes a very literal problem. The thoughts are so overwhelming that you can't manage to find a good night's sleep. This problem is especially prominent for new Sleepers, who seem prone to arriving with terrible bouts of unexplainable insomnia.

That sounds simple enough to deal with, right? Perhaps some sort of sleep aid, or working oneself to exhaustion, and you can power through it, right? No. Nothing seems to work at first. Searches for a monster are futile. Warding and incense seem utterly ineffective, and no matter how hard you try, night after night you cannot sleep. You are terrified of falling asleep. If you fall asleep, you may never wake up! Even characters who do not fear a mortal death feel themselves compelled by this, and the longer that they do not sleep the more corruption risks them at its door. A night or two missed is one thing, but eventually irascibility sets in. Hallucinations may eventually start to crop up. The body needs REM sleep. It needs dreams, yet the horror that threatens the person will not allow them to sleep, for fear that it will come for them while they sleep. What 'it' is, they do not know.

There is only one solution. For those who already spend time with others? This is a simple thing, but they must still agree to do it. You can solve this curse only if you do not sleep alone. Another must stay awake for the vigil through the whole night. Simple enough given their insomnia, but they will be assailed by their own horrific lack of slumber. Only, after you have had a good night's sleep, be sure to care for the other who was so kind to you. Why? Because anyone so unkind as to not help their erstwhile companion sleep after they have finally gotten rest will find out that those fears were not unfounded and the next time they sleep, they really do not wake up!

Death, in this rare case, comes in the form of a heart attack. Its source is unknown, and all that the sleeper will remember is the worst nightmare of their life as they lay in bed, dying in soundless screams. So, be sure to take care of each other, sleepers!

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

THE VEINS OF THE TOWER

WHEN: November 1st (And only November 1st)
WHERE: Beginning anywhere, ending in A Nightmarish Place
CONTENT WARNINGS: Liminal Space, Disorientation, Hints of horrible monsters, Possible Death, Insane Zealotry, Mutilated Bodies

---

Rumors have lingered since the first encounters two months ago of a 'space between spaces' that people could accidentally fall into that this occurrence has not been entirely limited to the month it first happened in. Every once in a while, on unusual days, it has happened since that time. There appears to be little rhyme or reason to it, but it has happened again. Maybe you took an accidental step backwards. Or maybe you were crazy enough to have identified some spot you disappeared before and you were actually experimenting with the effect every day to see when it happened. You know, to chronicle the dates it happen, to keep a record, to understand it better, all of those sorts of things that cause some sleepers to poke things that are Better Left Alone because that's what some sleepers do with their free time, and then they touch the spot with something and suddenly they and everything around them are sucked in. How you got there is not important. You're here now, wherever here is.

Only this time its different. You're not in the spot you were last time, and in the distance you can hear shuffling of feet. Dread enters your heart, as you know that you do not have the means to fight whatever it is. You have an overwhelming urge to run, to flee at top speed. You and whoever is "lucky" enough to be with you must run as fast as you can, around corners, a roaring, inhuman scream echoing through the hallways, slamming into walls. You can't quite see it, not unless you want a swift, awful death at least. But around a corner there is salvation, an elevator shaft and the door is open. Frantic scrambling, running and jabbing buttons will cause the doors to close, just as something black like a giant hand grabs the far wall. You hear the rush, the scream. The elevator shudders three times as something pounds on it, but you're safe. Or, are you?

Instead of the usual moldy hallways, you see what looks like a hospital hallway. Anyone who lived through the nightmare may have awful flashbacks, but nothing is chasing you this time. The impossibly stretching hallway seems ceaselessly unchanging, each door locked, at least until you happen to notice a grate on one of the overhead air conditioners open wide. If you are curious enough to crawl up and into it, you're treated to a long scramble through the passageway, right up until you hear voices, menacing ones in the distance. Crawl quietly!

A grate emanating ugly, light is up ahead. As you and your companion work your way over, you're hopefully not heard. Through the grate, you see something awful. Two mutilated and disfigured figures speak while a third, calm and ordered looking woman listens. She seems to have mutilated her throat such that she should not be able to speak, and the other two appear have performed torturous experiments on their own flesh, their twisted visages that of the 'Zealots' that the Sleepers sometimes whisper about in fear. "It is almost time for the harvest. We made the quotas last cycle but only barely. The need is greater. Sacrifices must be made," one hisses. The other nods vigorously. "Yes. The situation is decaying. We have to move to stop this before it gets out of hand."

Before they can say more, however, the third woman looks up, directly at the grate. She smiles once, and a voice echoes from her throat as what appears to be a mouth inside of it moves, her own lips unmoving. "Continue this discussion later. It seems the problem has worsened. We will need to step up security in the meantime." She reaches out a hand and wrenches. The air shimmers around them and suddenly the duct you are traveling in collapses and breaks beneath you. Instead of falling into the farm, however, you find yourself falling through darkness for what seems an eternity, until you collapse hard to the pavement, in front of the entrance to the Gate, your breath coming back to you slowly, shakily.

NOTES: Death is possible should a sleeper assault the first creature. It is a being of impossible angles and blackness, is itself unkillable and will rend its victims to oblivion through brute force. Fighting the Zealots is not possible through this prompt. The grate cannot be opened in time to exit into the Sleeper Farm and engage them. However, the astute will be certain that there was for a moment an actual entry through and into the Sleeper Farm, somehow. Those familiar with these locations will recognize them as being Floor 1, the Stalls

[JUMP TO TOP]

CODING

Comments

i!! i’m phone tagging so forgive typos omg

[retsuden]

[ It isn’t the first time Sasuke has seen Itachi since he arrived here, but those had been difficult. It had been as a ghost, as an illusion, on the other side of a portal, or any other means that had made it clear it wasn’t real. That he would disappear just like before and he would be left with that same empty feeling in his chest and a weight crushing his shoulders.

This is the first time on the beach. The first time he’s looked like a new arrival. It doesn’t stop him from feeling hesitant that Itachi will fade into dust in an instant, but it does put something akin to hope in his heart. Should he feel happy? He isn’t certain. The emotions are confusing and he isn’t sure he’s ready to fully process them.

He stared at him in silence for a long moment before he finally approached, hearing the words Itachi mutters more to himself than to him as he gets closer. There’s a pause before he unhooks the black wool cape from his shoulders and drops it on Itachi’s instead. A little awkward with just one hand, but he tried. ]

More than we deserve, likely.

no worries~

[jikogisei]

[ Out of all of the reasons why he would be drawn here, why his soul would once again take on a vessel and walk among the living, it would be coming to greet him on the beach. The weight of the cape comes to rest on his shoulders, and Itachi pulls it around himself more fully. It may not be the only reason why he's here, but it's the one most evident.

Sasuke is older than the last time he saw him, his brother's life a series of snapshots ever since that night laid out before his eyes. Most of their encounters happening years apart have given him an opportunity to see the other grow through all the stages, to take note of all the changes his brother has gone through. The missing arm doesn't go unnoticed, but it isn't the first conversation Itachi wishes to bring up. Even if it's a curiosity that he had been given eyes and his sight back while his brother is missing a whole limb. ]

Then I should not waste the opportunity gifted to me.

[ He gets to his feet with all the grace of anyone who has just undergone the squid transformation, not up to his usual quality, but Itatchi manages to stay upright without any trouble. This is different from his last resurrection, so he doesn't intend to hurry off as soon as possible. It may be the genuinely last time he gets to spend with his brother. ]

How long have you been here?

[retsuden]

[ There's the slightest shift in his stance, like he might reach out to try and steady his brother, but he stops himself as he waits to see if he can do it himself. He's adjusting faster to it than most of the new arrivals he sees. Not that that surprises him. Sasuke's pretty sure Itachi learns how to do everything faster than most.

His jaw clenches at the question and he shrugs his shoulders, looking out at the ocean rather than at Itachi for a moment. ]

On the beach? About an hour.

[ He is 99.999% sure that that is not what his brother meant, but what is the duty of a younger sibling if not to be a little shit? ]

[jikogisei]

[ While the assistance isn't needed, it is appreciated in the way his gaze softens as he looks over at his brother. Everything is done out of order, remembering how to swim before he relearns how to stand, how to talk before he can walk. The only thing done right is being a brother before he's a ninja.

It's there in the way he notices the tensing at the question, wanting to soothe the cause before gathering information. Itachi sighs in a mock exasperated manner, reaching out to gently ruffle Sasuke's hair. A big brother's response to a younger sibling's brattiness. ]

I'm glad to see you again.

[ Regardless of anything else, of what power brought him here, whatever trouble looms ahead - that fact will always hold true. To see Sasuke one more time would be the only thing he ever wished for. ]

[retsuden]

[ Oh. Sasuke's face instinctively scrunches up at first at the ruffle, but it leaves him with that same tug in his heart that it did the very last time he'd ever gotten to see Itachi. That's... fine. He's fine.

Really, it's a welcome reminder of what he actually missed. This place had a tendency to want to remind him only of the pain, forcing him to relive that awful night over and over again, almost making him forget the forgiveness that he had extended to Itachi when he learned the truth about everything. There was relief in being reminded of the love, of the care, of the sacrifice he'd really made.

He swallows, looking down at the sand. ]

... Mm.

[ Eloquent as ever!! He bites the inside of his cheek. ]

Just shy of a year. [ Apparently that was enough to make him be serious. ] And... almost three. Since... [ He can't bring himself to say the words, the affirmation of his final death, of really losing him. ] Back home.

[jikogisei]

[ Being given that second chance had changed so much in such a short period of time. He had been able to say the words that had been held back for so many years to keep up the facade that was built. That first death had been cloaked in shadows and lies, it ended with one final push away. Followed by such a bittersweet goodbye where there were no more secrets to hide, but no chance to have any more moments. A gift of an opportunity to say the things he'd wanted in his final moments.

Sasuke has grown in more than one way, no longer the unknowing and uncertain teenager he'd left behind. Whatever his brother has been through has changed him, and Itachi wants the chance to see it all for himself. If the other man will allow that. ]

Will you tell me about it? [ Forgiveness isn't needed for him to want to be involved in Sasuke's life, he won't ask for it anymore. He'll take whatever his brother will give him. ]

[retsuden]

[ Where would he even start? Sasuke's barely spoken about the things that happened during the war to anyone. True, Team Seven were really the only one's who he would have talked to, and they already knew the details. Maybe he could have processed it
aloud more, but he's never been very good at talking about his feelings.

There are other things he can focus on though. The important things Itachi should know upfront. About Trench, about the things that happen here. Maybe about being married? That's probably important.

He gives a slow nod, before gesturing towards the Boardwalk and the more helpful things that are in that general direction. ]

Let's get you some clothes first. Can you walk yet? Or... just stand?

[jikogisei]

[ Anywhere he can start would be fine. Itachi has very little doubts that the war was won, that Naruto had been true to his word, and he'd been part of the organization that had helped with some part of what happened on the battlefield. There may be less to talk about there than with any other person Sasuke may meet here.

While any information about this place would be at the top of his list of living here, he can also get that from others if Sasuke wanted to focus on more personal stories. Learning that his brother is married is very important.

Itachi debates the distance between here and the boardwalk, judging his own steadiness on brand-new legs. Once upon a time, he would have refused any and all help. ]

Lend me your shoulder, that should suffice.

[retsuden]

[ There's no hesitation as he moves to support him. Sasuke was willing to carry him if that's what it came down to, but he's more likely to go as slow as the other needs to. If the position had been reversed, Sasuke still would have been too proud to let anyone do more than help him balance, and so he assumes it's the same case with Itachi.

Once he's sure he's steady enough, he goes to start to guide them towards the Boardwalk. He's quiet, mostly, but the walk isn't exactly short, and maybe it would be better to try and get some of it out of the way as they go. ]

This is a different universe than Konoha. A city called Trench in a world that's filled with beasts and a god-like race of beings known as Pthumerians. The city runs on energy from the moon and on the power of blood. Spilling blood is necessary for many things, but it also pollutes the world, and raises a disease inside us that they've labeled Corruption. The symptoms of Corruption seem to vary greatly from person to person, like it's... catered to their faults and their pasts. It's difficult to explain properly because of it.

[jikogisei]

[ It would be quite the reverse for Itachi to be carried by his younger brother, even if they're closer in age than they ever were. Once upon a time his pride may have won out over such an act, yet the weight he leans into Sasuke's solid strength reveals that isn't the case any longer.

Sand shifts and yields to his feet too easily to have much balance walking upon it, so he relies on the other to keep it for him. The quiet doesn't last the entire way, as Sasuke begins to describe this place and how it works. ]

What are some of the purposes for spilling blood? [ Why risk it when it carries its own set of dangers to do so? ] Have you experienced Corruption?

[retsuden]

[ While he knows it's normal and the adjustment everyone who arrives goes through, Sasuke still hates seeing Itachi in a state where he needs that much help. It doesn't mesh with the idealized older brother of his youth. He'd latched on to those memories to rewrite the painful ones; not just the night of the massacre, but to erase the image of his reanimated form from his mind as well. Remembering him strong and healthy had felt important somehow, and here he was half-dragging him towards the boardwalk instead.

He sighs at the questions, but nods. ]

I have. [ Too easily, in his opinion. They said in this place some experienced Corruption more readily than others, but he hadn't realized just how quickly it would hit.

He focuses back on the original point quickly: giving information. ]

One of the jobs in this place is called a Blood Minister, and they use blood rituals and transfusions to heal injuries and illnesses. There are also various rituals that are occasionally needed. While it can be avoided for a while, there always seems to be something that forces it on a person eventually. At one point, we were stuck in a pocket dimension, a place more violent than this one, and we had to perform a ritual in order to return here to Trench. Another common one is something they call... blood bonds. You use your blood in a mixture, creating a paste, and then mark another person with it, creating a bond between your souls.

[jikogisei]

[ Rather than the idealized older brother, Itachi has shown Sasuke all of his weaknesses. Pushed through them to do what he could to protect his innocent younger brother from everything that wanted to harm him. Though the cost was having to hurt the person he wanted to keep safe the most, the scars they both carry. Still, his steps are steadier with each one he takes, gently lifting part of his weight off - even if he'd like to stay close for other reasons.

Sasuke answers the personal question first, moving on from it too quickly. ]

Hm. [ This is a subject Itachi will attempt to come back to later.

Usually, Itachi is the one with all of the answers and information. Yet here he is learning everything from his not-so-little brother. The brief moment of silence makes it clear that he's thinking deeply about all he's been told. ]

Are there threats here besides the Corruption?

[retsuden]

[ In many ways he's found Trench to be safer than their own world, with people ready to take care of one another without question. A functioning orphanage not infiltrated by people wanting to run experiments on kids blew his mind, really. But he also knows that regardless of the things that make this place less difficult in day-to-day life, it's somehow still easier to list things that aren't a threat than to think of a full list of what is.

He nods after a second, trying to figure out how to best summarize it all. ]

There are monsters. The woods have the most, but sometimes they come into the city. Each month, something strange occurs. They call them curses or events. They can impact the mind and the body, as well as bring in violent enemies. People say the Pthumerians are the cause for the majority of the strife here, but I haven't seen any solid proof that that's the case. Some of them seem to want to help us. Others at most can seem indifferent.

[ He feels like some of this makes him sound crazy, but is it really any crazier than washing up in a different world after being a squid for who knows how long? Probably not. ]

Our... blood is different than back home. And unique curses can be placed on people based on what type of blood they have. I'm a Darkblood and last month I lost most of my memories. This month, I've been experiencing random pain that sometimes makes it impossible to move.

[jikogisei]

[ A peaceful life is something that Itachi would like to have during his time here, if he's going to be given a third chance. Though, that might also leave him with too much time on his hands to fill with other things. Even if there aren't the same kinds of trouble here, he may find himself involved in them.

All of this information is filed away, for him to look into more later. Itachi trusts the information his brother gives him, but won't rely on him for every single detail. Just wanting a starting point on any potential danger he may face here. ]

These curses change each month and undo whatever damage had been done?

[ Perhaps he should be grateful that his blood is different. It could be why he doesn't feel a weight upon his chest the way he had when he was first alive. ]

How does one determine their new blood type?

[retsuden]

Mm.

[ There's a nod of confirmation along with the noise. It's rare that the curses seemed to bleed over, though he knows it's happened before. Rarely the blood impacts, though, which Sasuke always found somewhat interesting, though he hadn't had any real working theory as to why. Without one, he wasn't very prone to sharing the observation.

When Naruto had been here briefly and asked the same question, he'd reached over and stabbed him in the hand. Like best friends do. Somehow the idea doesn't seem as good with Itachi. ]

... Bleed around someone who knows what each one looks like. A blood minister might know a less invasive way.

[jikogisei]

[ That's a curious thing, how it changes each month and the side effects disappear. Itachi may attempt to look into it, whether there is already information on it or if he will have to forge his own path through what is known to find the answers. If there even was an answer.

Sasuke would be the only person who could get away with reaching over and stabbing him just to answer a question. Hell, if he had a weapon on him, Itachi might consider doing it himself. His brother likely has plenty on him, but he won't attempt to reach for one. ]

I will look into it later. [ Might as well get a full check-up while he's at it. ] Is there anyone else we know here?

[ He lifts more of his weight off of Sasuke, his legs steadier beneath him already. ]

[retsuden]

[ Sasuke notices the shift in weight and there's some relief that comes from it. The more he uses his legs, the more quickly it will all come back to him, he knows, and he's glad to see that already showing. He knew some people who seemed to take days before they'd fully figured out how to work their bodies again and it wasn't exactly ideal with the constantly changing conditions in Trench.

Any comment on that is kept silent, though, in case it were to look anything like worry over Itachi's well being. ]

Mm. Sakura, my... former teammate. If you remember her. Naruto was here for a short period, but he's been gone for a while.

[jikogisei]

[ Itachi isn't one to be too idle for very long, even if he has no long-term goals anymore, not being able to stand on his own two feet simply wouldn't feel right. Once he has proper clothes, the elder Uchiha will be heading into other physical skills to get back to where he had been. Especially if there was to be trouble here.

Perish the thought of showing any more concern over his well being. The borrowed clothing and half-carrying is already a great deal of worry in his direction. ]

I remember her. Our paths crossed once. [ In Naruto's never-ending search for Sasuke, and Itachi playing the role of Jinchūriki hunter. ] Not many from our world. Sounds peaceful.

[ He will be glad to shed many of his old roles. ]

[retsuden]

[ Sasuke never really talked much to Sakura about any time she'd met Itachi, but he's not surprised that they had met at some point during everything. Even before he was considered a great war hero, it was hard to meet Naruto completely on his own.

He does nod in agreement. Peaceful wasn't a word many people would use for this place, but he'd called it exactly that a few times.

Peaceful enough that he'd changed his life in drastic ways since arriving her. He didn't feel as guarded as he did back home and it had made him become less isolated. Almost like the little boy he once was, one who actually liked... well, some people. It would be a stretch to say that Sasuke was ever really a people person.

He didn't quite know how to put that into words, though, and instead ends up blurting out: ]

We got married. [ Sure. That's a smooth transition. ] Thought you should know. In case you run into her.