021 -- [Action]

[endgames]

[Today when Shikamaru woke up to his morning routine of journal stalking, there was a mission notice waiting for him. Fantastic. But you reap what you sow with these things...

Shikamaru spends the next few hours going over everything he thinks he'll need for this mission before heading out of his apartment. Most of his plans for the week are on hold (again) but there's still a few things he wanted to take care of; people to see.

In particular, he'll seek out Ino and Naruto, stopping to talk to most of his friends from home too, if he sees them. Give them a heads up on where he's at for the next week or so. After that he'll head into the square in the mid-afternoon in search of one Albert Silverberg. Masaomi is next, though Shikamaru will actually bother hailing him over the journals if he doesn't see him. Same for Sokka, if he can't find him at the smithy or the Avatar House.

Even if he isn't seeking anyone else out, he'll still stop to speak to people he knows if he runs into them today. Especially if they came along into the tunnels during that last experiment. Curiosity, mainly - he wants to know if anyone's doing better now.

Feel free to catch him anywhere in town this afternoon. Until he finds Albert, he'll be the guy carting around a shogi board under one arm.]

Comments

[markofthewise]

Only your squad is going to be people you've never met. And... well, to be frank, they're all kind of... average. [It's not often Sokka is in a group where he's the best of the group.]

[endgames]

Had a lot of that too. [It was actually pretty rare he got to work with his genin cell or any of his classmates, after he made chuunin.] Heh, I'd be more worried if they were a lot stronger than me. That'd be a bad sign of things to come out there.

[markofthewise]

Really? What makes you say that? [Sure. Luceti being number one may be flattering and all, but it does kind of mean there won't be some enclosure that will come and save them.]

[endgames]

Well think about it. If you send your strongest soldiers out there to fight, what does that say for how dangerous you'd expect the mission to be to need them?

[The Malnosso aren't always the smartest, but it's already established that that's why they get sent out on certain drafts instead of the usual forces they have fight their war.]

[markofthewise]

Right. I guess for this, it would suck to be the weakest link out there. [But the big picture? Not so good. When you're the awesome hero guys, it means that there's no one else coming to bail you out.]

[endgames]

[Then again, Shikamaru fights his battles differently than most people.]

Maybe. I'm just glad to have an idea of what to expect, even if it is more difficult.

Never thought I'd look forward to something like this. [He's disappointed in himself for that too, but it is what it is.] How troublesome.

[markofthewise]

I think I get it. You like making a difference? Or at least being useful. You don't get a lot of that out here. [He reclines back into the couch.] Dinner tastes a little better knowing I helped make sure it got here. In theory.

[endgames]

Heh. Something like that.

[Just replace Luceti with Konoha, and it's what he was brought into the world for.]

[markofthewise]

Yeah, well, don't get yourself killed for their sake or anything. And if you get a chance, ask around about benders, alright?

[If there's other people from his world in those domes, that'll be the easiest key word to find out,.]

[endgames]

Sure. ...you looking for anyone in particular? Or just anyone who's heard about your world.

[The way Luceti works, drawing in so many people you might know personally, it's not too far-fetched to think that friends from home have wound up like them, but are being kept elsewhere.]

[markofthewise]

Well if one of them happens to be named Hakoda, I definitely want to know. [But that would be the worst. Knowing his dad was out there and he couldn't see him.] But mostly I just want to know if there's others from my world out there. Maybe the reason I know everyone that comes into Luceti is just on purpose. Other people who know each other get sent to other enclosures.

[endgames]

[He nods.] It's always a possibility, or something like it. That part's always been weird.

[Sans Chouji, his entire graduating class is here now. Too many people to be a coincidence, though he doubts the Malnosso would care to bother lumping them together.]

Anyways, I'll keep an ear out for you.

[markofthewise]

[Yes, but they still don't have David Bowie.]

Thanks. Next time I could keep an ear out for- actually, I wouldn't know what to ask for.

1/2

[endgames]

[It'll be okay, as long as they find The Rower.]

...Konoha. Or a place called the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

[endgames]

Anyone from my world would know what you were talking about if you mentioned that.

[markofthewise]

... I dunno, I think I'll stick with Konoha. I mean, hiding your village in the leaves sounds great, but it's not exactly original.

[endgames]

Tch. It means the same thing.

[Er, well it's the same thing as Konohagakure, but that's a mouthful.]

[markofthewise]

So... how do you hide your village in the winter, when all the leaves are gone? [Because then it must be in plain sight.]

[endgames]

Don't think I've ever seen a bare tree in Konoha. Our winters are more mild than Luceti's autumns.

[markofthewise]

Oh. Well. I guess the leaves things works then.

[endgames]

Has so far, anyways. Hoping it stays that way.

[Someone like Sasuke would probably burn it all up. Not something to think about now, though.]

Oi, while I'm here. Got any kunai or shuriken on hand?

[He puts in orders every once in a while, and the other ninja here probably do too. May as well check to see if any are lying around that he can take.]

[markofthewise]

[Oh. Business then. Sokka hops up.]

We've got a few. [Shaking his head, amused.] You guys go through these things like water.

[endgames]

That's why we like to have plenty to work with.

[markofthewise]

Yeah, I noticed. I'm gonna start keeping a tally.

[He'll slide open a drawer. There you go, Shikamaru. All the deadly projectiles you could want.]

[endgames]

[Excellent. He'll be filling his kunai holster with them then.]

On the bright side, you can make them like a pro now.