endgames | 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 kinda sounded like that when you started.

[And he winces before dropping a piece down over on this part of the board. Good move Saori.]

Oh, my apologies if I was unclear. No, Tengoku is a peaceful place. The only fighting there is playing or training.

[She smiles and places another piece]

I take it you are from a more violent society?

[He smiles a little at that first comment. That sounds more his style.]

I did tell you I was a ninja.

Being a ninja doesn't necessarily mean violence. In my world they were spies and thieves, not warriors. But, I take your meaning.

[Huh. That's a first. Most people he's talked to from other worlds equate them with murderers.

He nods again, pleased, and puts a stone in a tricky place.]

[She's never really had cause to think much about them, being removed from nations and wars.

His move, however, gives her pause and she has to stop and think for a moment about how best to handle it. She places a stone that gives up some ground on her end as well]

[Oho. This is getting good now.]

This is fun. I haven't had a game this tense in a century.

[She chinhands, looking at him happily]

I haven't since I left home. Which isn't as grand a compliment, but it feels like it to me.

It's compliment enough for me. You're human, and it's flattering all the same.

[He snorts, more amused than offended.]

Talk about your backhanded compliments.

Oh! I did not mean it as such. I like humans, a lot more than I do most of my own kind, you know.

It's just funny. You say that like I talk about liking my cat.

I suppose it could sound like that. Though in my defense, my pets at home are probably older than you.

[She laughs happily and sets another stone, starting an old-school trap Bishamonten had taught her as a child.]

I don't want to sound disrespectful though. In my world, I live among humans, and not my own kind.

Yeah? How's that work?

[He hasn't caught on to the trap yet, but given another turn he likely will.]

The same as anyone else, I live in a house with a roommate.

[She shrugs, and sets another stone, unrelated to the trap]

Do you have a day job?

Yes. I'm a delivery girl.

Huh. [He likes that take on things, actually. It's more humanizing.]

Well, it's how I blend into human society. Wouldn't it be strange to have a neighbor that never did anything but always had money?

[And she likes it, it's not a bad day job]

I'm sure they'd chock it up to inheritance or something.

Not with how they met me. I had lost my memory, and my roommate took me in.

...aa.

[That would complicate it, yeah.]

So it's better I remain the delivery girl.

[Springing that trap now, if he's not noticed.]

I'll take your word for it.

[He did, but he'll act surprised nonetheless.] Tch. That's troublesome...

[So is the trap he worked on over here, seeing there wasn't much he could do to get out of that one.]

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