Chapter 30 – Loose Ends
Author’s notes
So, I promised a more plot-driven chapter, but I’m not sure if I delivered…. I tried to keep the scenes shorter, and keep the information-dump at a minimum. (I remember reading that J.K. Rowling made Hermione give all the long speeches that contain plot information because the reader would accept that she was the most likely one to drone on about those things! lol) So I tried to write these scenes as if the reader was a fly on the wall, overhearing events. And I tried to liven it up with oddball or arrogant characterizations. This had to be a set-up chapter. Hope it didn’t slow things down too much. And if it did…take heart. Hopefully you can already tell there will be a lot of things happening in the next chapters. So get ready….
Couple of personal notes: Just got back from seeing the cherry blossoms in DC. It delayed the chapter a bit, but I can definitely write authentically about cherry blossom festivals! lol If you have a cherry or any other blooming tree where you live, I highly recommend planting yourself underneath one for a few hours. It’s a wonderful Japanese tradition we should all do more of. And if you went to see the Hunger Games, then you saw the part of the world I live in (the mountains of North Carolina). Many of the mountain/woods/waterfall scenes were filmed in a nearby state park.
Lastly, thanks so much to all the reviewers. I’ve tried to respond to everyone, but I know I’ve not gotten to everyone yet. (I’m going to try and catch up on the rest now that this chap is done.) But please know how much I appreciate it. It really keeps me going! Special thanks to Yoshimoya on H&E — your words are a gift! So yeah — read and review! Oh, and please let me know if this info-heavy chapter came across ok….
And seriously. Get ready for the next one. 🙂
Chapter Notes
So hopefully this chapter illuminates a little of the what’s been going on behind the scenes. Not too much Sakura in this one, but everything revolves around their activities. So even in the scenes without Katsuro, they are still the focus.
• Sakura and the cherry blossoms — There is so much made of her name, being a sweet moniker to accompany her pretty looks, but really the symbolism is bittersweet. They gorgeous petals are only temporary. So I wanted Sakura to identify with the tree, not the blossom. She is rooted to her course, and she has to persevere. And thinking of it that way, it makes Katsuro as elusive and fleeting as the petals. She wants to hold on to him, but she just can’t.
• Naming Wei and character attributes in incidental characters — alright, so I’m going back on my words about OCs…sort of. I’m finding it’s necessary to add some more-fleshed-out background characters to help move the plot along. I never remember names when reading OCs, so I prefer things like the captain, the chakra sensor, etc. But this chapter I had to establish a clear rival for future events. And I think it’s just too much to go without a name. So for most of the little OCs they just get a character attribute: biting nails is the Rain tracker’s nervous habit; the teen in the noodle shop always wiping his nose. And these bad habits hopefully help delineate these characters as rather low on the totem pole compared to other bigger bad habits such as vanity (Wei’s contact) and arrogance (Wei himself).
• conflicting attitudes — So I’ve written in some conflicting attitudes in this chapter. Here shinobis aren’t just universally accepted. The soldiers, thugs and men like the tracker, men who have some skills but not a lot, are quite resentful and distrustful of shinobis. And then, there are rivalries between shinobis, especially from older ex-Rain shinobis being ordered around by a young ex-Konoha shinobi. So in this world, shinobis’ secretive nature often breeds distrust, whether they do good or not.
• “In fact, a client from Sound just offered me an extra…300 ryo for information about exceptional children. So I could easily take my knowledge to him.” — that would be Orochimaru. Lol. He’s not really a part of this story, but he’s still in the background.
• “Alright. You want the bigger picture? Here it is:” — So I hope these explanations shed light on some of the agendas from these groups, without slowing the story down too much. Think of the mob, it has lots of different branches and different goals — some for the betterment of the group, some for the betterment of an individual. I’m trying to write the Akatsuki, Itachi and the group of soldiers like that. A tiered group working for similar goals, some seen and some not yet revealed. The rest of the agendas — and Katsuro’s part in it — will be revealed in the next two chapters.
• Madara. Itachi sullenly watched the apparition take form, then bent back to his work without even a greeting. — Itachi is self-serving, and so is Madara. And Itachi hates being under anyone’s thumb. So I love that he displays a little petulant streak with Madara, who is being manipulative as usual.
• Madara’s talk with Itachi — there is lots there to be read between the lines. So, yeah. I think most of it speaks for itself, but check the spoiler notes if you want to find out more.
• Mirrored conversations: Wei and the captain; Itachi and Madara — So both of these reveal plot points, and hint at hidden agendas. Basically everyone in this group is using the other to get what they want. From the top down. In the end, both conversations tie up with the principle characters restating their resolve for their own personal cause.
• Itachi’s quiet voice floated through. “I need you to take care of a loose end for me….”— Sakura, of course, is the loose end. So even though she’s barely featured in the chapter, hopefully you understand that all of the action is pointing towards her.
• But hanging out of her pack, the end of the scroll caught the sunlight. It swung jauntily as she moved, hopelessly tangling the brilliant red threads. — Again, using the red thread of fate symbolism.
Spoiler Notes
• “Listen, these assignments may be handed down from an outsider, but you know what’s at stake here…. You came up under Yahiko. You’re still loyal to the old cause, I know you are.” — The thinking here is what happened to all the men that served with Yahiko? Where did they go? Did they just fade away or do the still covertly fight for his cause…. Well, here’s the answer. The thugs may be on the bottom, but the men running it are ex-Rain nins. The original Akatsuki.
• More on Wei — I’m not a fan of OCs, so it’s hard to commit to including them. But I think it’s time. Otherwise things will start to get confusing. Anyway, I’ve tried to write him as unintrusive as possible. Does that make sense? :)Wei is somewhere between an OC and a background character. He’ll serve his purposes and make his appearances, but don’t get too attached to him.
• “Do you understand what I’m saying? If we can pull this off, then we’ll have a home to return to. So follow your orders. I’m relying on you to bring it all together. Everything’s riding on this—” …. “Don’t worry,” Wei said, gripping the headband tightly. “I won’t fail.” — Wei is reinvigorated by the captain’s speech. This section helps illuminate the background, and heightens tension for the next chapter. Wei will be completely invested in fighting for this cause, and that makes him a ferocious opponent.
• Identity of Wei’s target and contact — So Wei is meeting with the politician from Sakura’s last mission. And his target is her clan diplomat. The metal clan from the meeting is the one moving the shipment. The politician isn’t outright betraying her, he is simply working for his own purposes. Sakura didn’t conceal her identity at the meeting, so there isn’t much need for him to conceal it.
• “His hired guard is supposed to be back with an offer. The man was hoping it would be an alliance or some choice trade agreement. But I tend to think—” — So this is evidence that the diplomat is still puffing up Sakura’s role to gain attention. She’s just returning with an invitation for a formal alliance with Konoha. Nothing more. It’s just a simple sheet of paper. Konoha’s hoping to get greater access to the meetings like the spring trade mtg. But the diplomat is still profiting by Sakura’s presence at the meeting by lying about the nature of it. So the politician is clarifying at the end that he doesn’t believe everything the diplomat says. But he does know an official missive is being delivered.
About Madara’s talk with Itachi — all of these themes are alluded to and will be confirmed in the upcoming chapters. Hopefully, you already have some idea of what’s happening through the writing. But if you want to know for sure, then read on….
• “This is just to fill the time. But do not forget what your real goal is. The only reason you can spend your time on Pein’s frivolity is because you’ve already caught your prize.” — Pein has charge each Akatsuki member with catching a bijuu. And Itachi already has his. Although only Itachi, Pein and Madara know about it. Even the rest of the Akatsuki are kept in the dark. Although some have their suspicions…. And Madara reveals that there is another goal outside of the main Akatsuki one, which is to capture and unite the beast. It is the set-up of a power struggle.
• “Still,” Madara’s voice was deceptively pleasant. “He needs to be trained to respond to the sharingan…. And finding a sharingan user who is a match is quite rare. So I wouldn’t be surprised if you weren’t able to—” — So, in this story (as in the manga), it will be revealed that the kyuubi can be controlled by the sharingan. However here only a certain sharingan can successfully subue the demon. Madara has been watching for it through the generations, and thinks he’s found it in Itachi. But if it turns out not to be him, then he’s sure Sasuke would be the other most likely candidate (when he matures). And if you gather from Itachi’s tone, he’s not completely sure his sharingan’s the right one…. But he wants Madara to think so, nonetheless. Again, another power struggle in the making.
• Itachi slammed a hand down on the desk. “I am! I’ve told you already. My sharingan is the one. There has not been another more powerful user since you and your brother. You said so yourself.” — So referencing what we already know of the power struggle between Uchiha siblins. It’s often to the death. Madara is subtly pairing his own sibling rivalry with Itachi’s, and then looking at Itachi as a potential future rival he might have to deal with.
• Madara quietly weighed Itachi’s words. “Well…. perhaps Sasuke needs time as well. After all, his sharingan will not come to full power until he reaches maturity.” — also mirrors the comment about the kyuubi’s strength. Establishes a time element and gives the two boys time to come to maturity.
• “Don’t worry.” Itachi fixed both his eyes on Madara’s single one. “I never have.” — Itachi’s has never lost sight of his goal. Indicating that maybe his goal is different from Madara’s.
26 Mar 2012 No Comments
Chapter 30 Notes
Chapter 30 – Loose Ends
Author’s notes
So, I promised a more plot-driven chapter, but I’m not sure if I delivered…. I tried to keep the scenes shorter, and keep the information-dump at a minimum. (I remember reading that J.K. Rowling made Hermione give all the long speeches that contain plot information because the reader would accept that she was the most likely one to drone on about those things! lol) So I tried to write these scenes as if the reader was a fly on the wall, overhearing events. And I tried to liven it up with oddball or arrogant characterizations. This had to be a set-up chapter. Hope it didn’t slow things down too much. And if it did…take heart. Hopefully you can already tell there will be a lot of things happening in the next chapters. So get ready….
Couple of personal notes: Just got back from seeing the cherry blossoms in DC. It delayed the chapter a bit, but I can definitely write authentically about cherry blossom festivals! lol If you have a cherry or any other blooming tree where you live, I highly recommend planting yourself underneath one for a few hours. It’s a wonderful Japanese tradition we should all do more of. And if you went to see the Hunger Games, then you saw the part of the world I live in (the mountains of North Carolina). Many of the mountain/woods/waterfall scenes were filmed in a nearby state park.
Lastly, thanks so much to all the reviewers. I’ve tried to respond to everyone, but I know I’ve not gotten to everyone yet. (I’m going to try and catch up on the rest now that this chap is done.) But please know how much I appreciate it. It really keeps me going! Special thanks to Yoshimoya on H&E — your words are a gift! So yeah — read and review! Oh, and please let me know if this info-heavy chapter came across ok….
And seriously. Get ready for the next one. 🙂
Chapter Notes
So hopefully this chapter illuminates a little of the what’s been going on behind the scenes. Not too much Sakura in this one, but everything revolves around their activities. So even in the scenes without Katsuro, they are still the focus.
• Sakura and the cherry blossoms — There is so much made of her name, being a sweet moniker to accompany her pretty looks, but really the symbolism is bittersweet. They gorgeous petals are only temporary. So I wanted Sakura to identify with the tree, not the blossom. She is rooted to her course, and she has to persevere. And thinking of it that way, it makes Katsuro as elusive and fleeting as the petals. She wants to hold on to him, but she just can’t.
• Naming Wei and character attributes in incidental characters — alright, so I’m going back on my words about OCs…sort of. I’m finding it’s necessary to add some more-fleshed-out background characters to help move the plot along. I never remember names when reading OCs, so I prefer things like the captain, the chakra sensor, etc. But this chapter I had to establish a clear rival for future events. And I think it’s just too much to go without a name. So for most of the little OCs they just get a character attribute: biting nails is the Rain tracker’s nervous habit; the teen in the noodle shop always wiping his nose. And these bad habits hopefully help delineate these characters as rather low on the totem pole compared to other bigger bad habits such as vanity (Wei’s contact) and arrogance (Wei himself).
• conflicting attitudes — So I’ve written in some conflicting attitudes in this chapter. Here shinobis aren’t just universally accepted. The soldiers, thugs and men like the tracker, men who have some skills but not a lot, are quite resentful and distrustful of shinobis. And then, there are rivalries between shinobis, especially from older ex-Rain shinobis being ordered around by a young ex-Konoha shinobi. So in this world, shinobis’ secretive nature often breeds distrust, whether they do good or not.
• “In fact, a client from Sound just offered me an extra…300 ryo for information about exceptional children. So I could easily take my knowledge to him.” — that would be Orochimaru. Lol. He’s not really a part of this story, but he’s still in the background.
• “Alright. You want the bigger picture? Here it is:” — So I hope these explanations shed light on some of the agendas from these groups, without slowing the story down too much. Think of the mob, it has lots of different branches and different goals — some for the betterment of the group, some for the betterment of an individual. I’m trying to write the Akatsuki, Itachi and the group of soldiers like that. A tiered group working for similar goals, some seen and some not yet revealed. The rest of the agendas — and Katsuro’s part in it — will be revealed in the next two chapters.
• Madara. Itachi sullenly watched the apparition take form, then bent back to his work without even a greeting. — Itachi is self-serving, and so is Madara. And Itachi hates being under anyone’s thumb. So I love that he displays a little petulant streak with Madara, who is being manipulative as usual.
• Madara’s talk with Itachi — there is lots there to be read between the lines. So, yeah. I think most of it speaks for itself, but check the spoiler notes if you want to find out more.
• Mirrored conversations: Wei and the captain; Itachi and Madara — So both of these reveal plot points, and hint at hidden agendas. Basically everyone in this group is using the other to get what they want. From the top down. In the end, both conversations tie up with the principle characters restating their resolve for their own personal cause.
• Itachi’s quiet voice floated through. “I need you to take care of a loose end for me….”— Sakura, of course, is the loose end. So even though she’s barely featured in the chapter, hopefully you understand that all of the action is pointing towards her.
• But hanging out of her pack, the end of the scroll caught the sunlight. It swung jauntily as she moved, hopelessly tangling the brilliant red threads. — Again, using the red thread of fate symbolism.
Spoiler Notes
• “Listen, these assignments may be handed down from an outsider, but you know what’s at stake here…. You came up under Yahiko. You’re still loyal to the old cause, I know you are.” — The thinking here is what happened to all the men that served with Yahiko? Where did they go? Did they just fade away or do the still covertly fight for his cause…. Well, here’s the answer. The thugs may be on the bottom, but the men running it are ex-Rain nins. The original Akatsuki.
• More on Wei — I’m not a fan of OCs, so it’s hard to commit to including them. But I think it’s time. Otherwise things will start to get confusing. Anyway, I’ve tried to write him as unintrusive as possible. Does that make sense? :)Wei is somewhere between an OC and a background character. He’ll serve his purposes and make his appearances, but don’t get too attached to him.
• “Do you understand what I’m saying? If we can pull this off, then we’ll have a home to return to. So follow your orders. I’m relying on you to bring it all together. Everything’s riding on this—” …. “Don’t worry,” Wei said, gripping the headband tightly. “I won’t fail.” — Wei is reinvigorated by the captain’s speech. This section helps illuminate the background, and heightens tension for the next chapter. Wei will be completely invested in fighting for this cause, and that makes him a ferocious opponent.
• Identity of Wei’s target and contact — So Wei is meeting with the politician from Sakura’s last mission. And his target is her clan diplomat. The metal clan from the meeting is the one moving the shipment. The politician isn’t outright betraying her, he is simply working for his own purposes. Sakura didn’t conceal her identity at the meeting, so there isn’t much need for him to conceal it.
• “His hired guard is supposed to be back with an offer. The man was hoping it would be an alliance or some choice trade agreement. But I tend to think—” — So this is evidence that the diplomat is still puffing up Sakura’s role to gain attention. She’s just returning with an invitation for a formal alliance with Konoha. Nothing more. It’s just a simple sheet of paper. Konoha’s hoping to get greater access to the meetings like the spring trade mtg. But the diplomat is still profiting by Sakura’s presence at the meeting by lying about the nature of it. So the politician is clarifying at the end that he doesn’t believe everything the diplomat says. But he does know an official missive is being delivered.
About Madara’s talk with Itachi — all of these themes are alluded to and will be confirmed in the upcoming chapters. Hopefully, you already have some idea of what’s happening through the writing. But if you want to know for sure, then read on….
• “This is just to fill the time. But do not forget what your real goal is. The only reason you can spend your time on Pein’s frivolity is because you’ve already caught your prize.” — Pein has charge each Akatsuki member with catching a bijuu. And Itachi already has his. Although only Itachi, Pein and Madara know about it. Even the rest of the Akatsuki are kept in the dark. Although some have their suspicions…. And Madara reveals that there is another goal outside of the main Akatsuki one, which is to capture and unite the beast. It is the set-up of a power struggle.
• “Still,” Madara’s voice was deceptively pleasant. “He needs to be trained to respond to the sharingan…. And finding a sharingan user who is a match is quite rare. So I wouldn’t be surprised if you weren’t able to—” — So, in this story (as in the manga), it will be revealed that the kyuubi can be controlled by the sharingan. However here only a certain sharingan can successfully subue the demon. Madara has been watching for it through the generations, and thinks he’s found it in Itachi. But if it turns out not to be him, then he’s sure Sasuke would be the other most likely candidate (when he matures). And if you gather from Itachi’s tone, he’s not completely sure his sharingan’s the right one…. But he wants Madara to think so, nonetheless. Again, another power struggle in the making.
• Itachi slammed a hand down on the desk. “I am! I’ve told you already. My sharingan is the one. There has not been another more powerful user since you and your brother. You said so yourself.” — So referencing what we already know of the power struggle between Uchiha siblins. It’s often to the death. Madara is subtly pairing his own sibling rivalry with Itachi’s, and then looking at Itachi as a potential future rival he might have to deal with.
• Madara quietly weighed Itachi’s words. “Well…. perhaps Sasuke needs time as well. After all, his sharingan will not come to full power until he reaches maturity.” — also mirrors the comment about the kyuubi’s strength. Establishes a time element and gives the two boys time to come to maturity.
• “Don’t worry.” Itachi fixed both his eyes on Madara’s single one. “I never have.” — Itachi’s has never lost sight of his goal. Indicating that maybe his goal is different from Madara’s.
by tricksie in Chapter Notes