endgames | 024 -- [Action]

[It is on the fourth day of the experiment that Shikamaru leaves his apartment. Free of those stupid thought bubbles, this should've been a good thing. But as he walked, it felt like he was being drawn to something. A weird breeze picked up. The sky literally became overcast. Ominous shit, man. 8|

It's only when he walked past a tree that he saw it. His old foe thought long gone when he defenestrated it months ago.]

Oh, not this again-

-

May 27 - June 1

[For these four days of the experiment, around the village there is a ~~toaster~~ ~magic lamp~ waiting to be found. In that tree! On that bench! On top of that fountain! How did it get in all these weird places? NO IDEA. But pick it up, and BAM. SMOKE ~~PELLETS~~, and you suddenly have your very own genie (barefoot, with an outfit something like this). Careful what you wish for.]

Can we make this quick?

[[ ooc: So Shikamaru's fairy-taled into a genie again! You get three (3) wishes, and he will be 'granting' them as literally as possible.

As per the guidelines of the old fairy-tale event: nothing wished for is actually real. It will look like it is! But your character is either interacting with something imaginary or a mundane object: like thinking they picked up a magic lamp when it's really a toaster. Wish to be a sorcerer? While effected it's like COOL YOU HAVE MAGIC POWERS. Only not really, you were just pointing at things.

TL;DR: it's one giant game of pretend. Have fun. 8|b ]]

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[...he is admittedly curious to see the result of this wish himself. Shikamaru flexes his fingers, then snaps.

He doesn't know what Aang's family looks like, but the 'magic' does. One by one they'll appear, as the ages Aang remembers them. Katara, then Kya, then Bumi, and last Tenzin. If you squint you can make out the illusion, but there they are.]

Wish granted.

[And unlike the last two wishes, it will last as long as Aang deems it to.]

[He knows full well it's an illusion. They just discussed that fact! But, as foolish as he feels he must look, he feels like it's real. Like they're really there in front of him. His memories help to bring them to life. With teary eyes, he gives Shikamaru the most appreciative smile that he can. First, he approaches the illusion of Katara, at her much more appropriate age, and he leans down to press his chin against her illusionary forehead.]

I'm coming home soon, Sweetie. I can feel it.

[Shikamaru nods to that, then quietly moves out of the way to give 'them' their space.

The part of him that's a genie of fairy tale wants to exploit this, but he's firmly ignoring that. He feels like he's creeping enough just watching.

That is Katara, there's no doubt now. Older. And the two of them... there is so much lover there, even in the illusion.

He looks at the children now. Is this their future? Or something Luceti has twisted?]

[~~Only canon can tell~~. Aang then kneels down and turns his attention to the children. It's so relieving so see them, so full of life. Especially in light of hearing about Toph's own future earlier that day... they just feel so much more real to him now, despite the actual circumstances behind their appearance. Kya and Bumi both appear to be somewhere in their teenage years, but Tenzin is only closer to the age and appearance of younger Aang.]

Daddy missed you scamps. A whole lot.

[It's hard to miss the physical resemblances. The older two take after Katara, but the younger boy looks much like Aang.

He wonders what Masaomi would think of this, even as he resolves not to tell him. But more than that, he thinks of what Asuma told him about the King and how he thinks that's what he's seeing here.]

[He takes a few more minutes with them and hopes that this is all that this illusion is the most that Luceti will ever see of his children. Feeling affirmed of his reality and confident of what he will be returning to, he looks up at Shikamaru proudly.]

That will do, friend.

Yes sir.

[But before dispelling it...]

I hope you see them again soon.

[Whether he's the real Aang or not.

And deciding not to give him a chance to say anything to that, he snaps his fingers and concludes the wish. By the time the illusionary faces are gone, he will be too. All that remains is the toaster-lamp.]

[He smiles back at the weird lamp, taking a moment to dabble at his eyes, before he starts to leave. After a few steps, he turns to face the lamp.]

In case we don't see each other again, and if you can hear me... try to look out for Katara for me, okay? And... thanks for all that, Shikamaru.

[He breaks it off with laughter when he recalls his first two wishes. And then, trying to force seriousness to his face, he's off...]

024 -- [Action]

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