026 -- [Voice || Written || Action]

[endgames]

If I see another mountain again, it'll be too soon. Did any of you know that sirry means "ridiculous"? [He snorts.] Explains a lot. Avalanches. Yetis. More freaking snow. Man, that mission was a pain...

[/whine and complain]

Anyways. I'm back. [Technically has been for two days albeit not in town, so he'll make it official.] Anything interesting hap- [His disinterested tone gives way to irritation as he turns his attention to something off-screen.] Oi that's not for you-

[The journal snaps shut with a sigh. He never finishes speaking, but about an hour later the post is transcribed... minus the interruption, and now with complete sentences.

If you're out today now that the heavy rain of the few days is finally letting up, you might spot Shikamaru coming back into the village from the North... closely followed by a deer much larger than Luceti's usual fare ((think five feet at the shoulders, six at the head, and eight feet with antlers)). The stag seems pretty content to follow him around - even into town or just standing around when he sits - despite sticking to the tree-lined paths when he can. Shikamaru talks to him sometimes.

Yes, talks, shut up.]

Comments

[endgames]

Most days. [Shikamaru rubs a finger under his nose.] He's in a mood now.

[tsuntrader]

Good thing he has you. [You're good at fixing moods, Shikamaru. Accept it.]

[endgames]

[Rikumaru snorts. Please. He's the problem. 8|]

Ha. Yup, I keep tabs on him.

[Don't think he won't impale you.]

[tsuntrader]

And he keeps tabs on you, right? [He speaks Sneasel. He can make educated guesses on Rikumaruese.]

[endgames]

[If a deer could look pleased, Rikumaru would be much so right now.]

Aa. He and I are family.

[tsuntrader]

[...Nod. As they should be. It puts their relationship into quick and understandable terms for him, at least. One of his hands instinctively goes to give Sneasel a pat on the head.]

[endgames]

So what brings you down this path to town, hm? Hopefully you haven't been chatting up trees.

[...Rikumaru turns to look at the trees they just passed. Why'd he come down here again?]

[tsuntrader]

[...Suddenly a moodkiller.] Don't talk about those stupid trees.

[endgames]

Heard enough of them lately, I bet.

[tsuntrader]

People have already been getting worked up over the crap they spouted out.

[endgames]

And still no one saw fit to mention it when I got back. I'd almost wondered if I dreamed it.

[tsuntrader]

It would be better if everyone did, just to sort out fact from fiction. It would save everyone a lotta grief.

[endgames]

Not sure how a dream would do all that...

[tsuntrader]

...The other part. [The mentioning and talking it out part.

...So maybe he is the pot and everyone is the kettle but shut up okay at least he'd own up to shit.]

[endgames]

Like people here are that secure. I'm not that secure.

[Except for the part where he's talking about it anyways. Have we mentioned Shikamaru is a study in contradictory.]

But it's just as well.

[tsuntrader]

They said you had an IQ of 200, and that you were the best in your class. [Might as well just say it. ...What he won't say is that he has no idea what an IQ is.]

[endgames]

[Shikamaru remembers that. After he dropped over Silver, he quizzed them. Asked for everything they'd heard on him. That one is tame, at least.]

That's where things get fuzzy, see. Near as I can tell, those rumors they were spewing were a nice collection of half truths.

[tsuntrader]

Truths, half-truths, outright lies. [You still didn't answer him, Shikamaru. Are you saying that it's a half-truth?]

[endgames]

Some are easier to tell than others. You have to look underneath the underneath.

[Like he did with what they said about you.]

[tsuntrader]

You're being indirect. [It really does sound like he's talking about something in specific...]

[endgames]

You asked nothing. [Or he sure didn't hear a question in that.] Even if you had, a lot of you can be the judge of yourself.

[tsuntrader]

[...Yep, that's enough to get annoyed silence out of him. Dammit, Shikamaru.]

[endgames]

[Well?]

[tsuntrader]

If we're talking about asking questions, what's an IQ? [Well that.]

[endgames]

[...heh.]

Intelligence Quotient.