endgames | 029 -- [Action || Video]

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029 -- [Action || Video]

[The afternoon finds Shikamaru bundled up against the cold and out and about in parts of the village he won't normally be in. Wandering, it might look like; he drifts in and out of high-traffic areas like the bar and the item shop to places less visited. The coffee shop he'll be at for sure, and his final stop will be the building that was once Azzip's Pizza.

This will do.]

[Video]

[Later in the afternoon, with dark still far off, the journal feed will click on to see Shikamaru surrounded by various colorful boxes among other things. He folds his hands over a table.]

It's come to my attention over the last few months that some of you have never heard of boardgames, or have otherwise never played. As a reasonable guy, I can let a lot of things go, but that... just seems sad.

[He shakes his head here. With woe, even. And then he gestures to the board games from various worlds strewn in the background. Close inspection will find a shogi set, a chess board, Go, Pai Sho, Plateau, Candy Land, Mouse Trap, ~~Jumanji~~ and so on. You can pretty much make up any family-friendly board game you want here and he will have it somehow. Go for it, actually. He hasn't played all of them.]

I'm here to tell you why they're awesome. [...] And possibly to petition for a partner. It's troublesome, but you'd be surprised how hard that is to accomplish here...

Katara. [Hint, hint.] Kotomi-chan. [Who he can't tease as well, so he'd best clarify:] If you're still up for that.

[He shakes himself with a grin, saluting at the journal with his left hand. He picks up the nearest game.] Anyways, let's get started. It goes like this...

[And from here he'll be giving the abridged rules of the games he knows to start. Feel free to interrupt him, or call him out on any games he skips.]

[/end Voice]

[Action || Locked to Konan]

[Much later in the night, after he's seen to everything he needs to, Shikamaru takes a box out of a drawer and goes outside. From it, he withdraws an origami hummingbird, and contemplates it slowly for a few quiet minutes.

When he's done, he holds it up at eye level and speaks seriously.]

It's about time we spoke again. Don't you think?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's getting there. Guess I missed that.

Well, I'd assumed you had.

Would you like to play a game sometime? Are you experienced?

Mm. A little bit. I definitely wouldn't say no.

Whe and where would you like to meet, then?

Somewhere not outside.

[That is his only stipulation at the moment. 8|]

How about the Hot Springs? That's the warmest, most comfortable place I've found yet.

[Wow. Being asked out by a girl to the hot springs. So glad Masaomi isn't around.]

...wasn't expecting that, but it works. Just give me some time to trek to the teleporter.

[He's not far from it.]

Alright, I'll be there.

[She waves somewhat dismissively, she's barely left the Hot Springs since the freezing rain started. It's not like she's human, anyway.]

[Shikamaru takes some time to finish up his other conversations, and then he makes his trek to the teleporter. The hot springs is just a breath from there.

He didn't bring anything. He assumes if she was looking for a go partner, she has a board herself. 8|a]

[True to her word, she's there waiting in a bathrobe, looking like she's just climbed out. There is a board set up on one of the tables, and Saori is lounging on a chair.]

Ah, there you are.

[He really should've guessed, but he thought that would've been enough time.]

Too early?

[She shakes her head, smiling unabashedly and gesturing for him to sit down. She's a bit weird about the whole bathing...propriety thing when it came to mortals.]

No, you are right on time. The tea kettle just came to a boil, and I haven't really left the onsen in two days. Has that awful cold finally started to fade?

[...well all right then. He takes a seat.]

The rain let up last night. Whole town's covered in ice. Still cold as shit, but I suppose you could say it's at least appealing to look at now.

I suppose so. I hate cold, and I'm not fond of ice. But it is pretty to look at I suppose.

[She pulls out a thermos]

Would you like some tea?

[He nods - feeling's mutual there.]

Day like this, I won't say no.

[She sets about using the hot water in the thermos to make tea, offering it to him]

Do you mind playing on the smaller, more traditional board? I only have this one.

Smaller?

[He doesn't sound like he minds, just curious. Not being from typical earth, the larger 19x19 grid has always been the traditional one for him.]

[She gestures, showing him the 17x17 board]

It's from my world, when the game was first created it used this board instead of the newer, larger one.

...huh. [Something sparks in his eye like intrigue, a rare thing for him. It's a new puzzle, a new challenge.]

That'll be fine.

Alright. Which color stones do you prefer?

[Smiling gently, she slides him bowls of go pieces]

I'll play black.

[He'll go ahead and pick said stones out of the bowl.]

Alright.

[She takes a sip of tea and sets a stone down to start the game]

I hope there wasn't any lasting harm to you arm.

That much was unavoidable. Humans needs time to recover from something like that, after all. [He places his down.] But it's healing nicely.

Everyone does. My own ability to heal injuries in this human shell is limited here. I suspect that might have taken me a few hours, rather than moments.

That before or after getting back?

[Sure not missing that 100% powercap on his end.]

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[Action] Hate noticing typos late.

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