His attention tilts up to a tree, where a young boy is sat, almost completely hidden in the canopies of blossoming leaves. If it weren’t for his keen ability and sensory to awareness of his surroundings, he wouldn’t have spotted him, or rather, the small detail of darkened hair poking slightly ajar from the tree. 

“Talk about the word, but don’t use it” drabble! 

Imagine a quiet household, in the dead of night. A man, stout and scruffy in appearance, with tie disheveled after the long day of work, sound asleep in front of the TV. A man, a father, neglecting to care for his toddler of a son. 

The child, round face, full head of black hair, sat in rapt attention, bright blue eyes wide open, fixated on the screen before him. A film was playing. A brutal, uncensored, and explicit slasher film. The kind of film where “sympathetic characters” are little more than meaty cardboard cut-outs, made to be ripped apart for viewing pleasure. 

And every time that the hockey-masked serial killer swung his sinister blade down? Every time he coated the world around him in a beautiful woman’s crimson bodily fluids? Every time that a dying scream overrode the (decidedly subpar) soundtrack? 

The toddler laughed. The toddler beamed. Pure innocence, directed at glorified depictions of violence. 

“ Turn that frown upside down ~ ! ”

“ Ahaha... That was a bit cheesy, wasn’t it? Sorry about that. You just seemed a little lonely, so I thought I’d come over and say hi. ” Aya drops into the seat beside him, a carton of kettle corn cradled in her hands. It’s fresh from a stall across the street, and the steam climbs in smoky wisps along its edges. She might have overdone it: Lonely or not, some people hate to be bothered. What if he wants to be alone? Does he naturally look this somber? It’s too late to turn back now. Quick, Aya, you can’t make this any more awkward! “ ...Popcorn? ”

Welcome to scenic Isola Radiale, Edgelord Jr.!

You’ll be housed in House 124!

You’ll retain all your previously unlocked skills and abilities.

Have fun!

Shuren looked over his shoulder at the sound of approaching footsteps, a small smirk forming on his lips as he saw who it was.

“So, are you back for more, Child? Did you not learn your lesson the first time?” He asked with a drawl, looking down at Sasuke as if he were but an ant.