029 -- [Action || Video]

[endgames]

[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?

Comments

[endgames]

People who look at strength in numbers are the same ones who throw their pawns away. You need so many pieces, it's true. But better to look at their individual strengths.

If you lost half your pieces and still had to continue... I bet someone would come up with an idea to make it work.

[People can be clever like that.]

[greenjacketed]

...It's a pretty thought, lad. And it's true -- some pieces are prized for something other than their ability to fire three rounds a minute and stand. But you're daft or naive to think continental war is to be lost or won on the merits of a single soldier. Batallions are pawns. Companies are pawns. Men have become the bits of wood and laquer what make those pawns up.

[ did he agree? no. but it was his reality. ]

[endgames]

[As of now? It's his world's reality too.]

Never one. [His life and fighting style has been built up on teamwork, so that'd be hard believing.] But teams are no more static than individuals are. Platoons are shaped by soldiers, companies by platoons, armies by companies.

If you haven't seen it, you just haven't yet. The combined worth of your pawns is more than any other piece on the board.

[greenjacketed]

And yet, there are officers. And we kill the bastards first and teach our men to do so, too.

[ if anything, he's mildly amused by the argument that's being touted. engaging it because he hasn't spoken shop in so so long. ]

[endgames]

Military strategy is a history of fatal flaws like that.

[greenjacketed]

Have you been part of a large outfit, lad?

[ acidly. ]

[endgames]

Have you been on a draft?

[Sarcasm returned, lightly.]

[greenjacketed]

Hah. Not what I'd call an outfit of any sort. More chaos, from what I saw.

[endgames]

Touché. [Shikamaru grins, but it's twisted. Thinking of the drafts, especially the last one, he feels tired and angry and useless and sick.]

I could even go on about how close to home on that you are. But the point is that's a silly question to ask of many people here, not only me.

[greenjacketed]

Silly? [ heh. ] That's a bit unfair, ain't it? There's nothing silly about a man asking a question and looking to understand his situation a little better. My point is that I've never seen such a bloody useless set-up as I did on that last field. Even the missions are lousy for it. You speak of individual merit but it's hardly harnessed properly with everyone swanning off half-cocked, is it?

[endgames]

The missions I've been on haven't been so disorderly.

[...but he's run most of those, officially or not. Not a good example, just get back on track. :T]

Thing is, I believe you for what you're saying just because you've told me you're a soldier. A soldier doesn't need to ask another soldier for his credentials to imagine what he's been through. My opinion's not different from yours because I've experienced less, it's because I've seen and heard it myself and know it can be better.

[He scratches a spot of skin below his ear; drawls.] If that still makes no sense, I can understand that too.

[greenjacketed]

You mistake me, lad. I weren't asking for your credentials.

[ bloody hell. ]

[endgames]

[No? He won't insult by asking the man to explain what then. If it matters to him, there's an answer coming.]

[greenjacketed]

At least, not as some sort of buggering contest. Christ! I've known decent soldiers who've survived many battles but I've known just as many cowards who've done the same. The straight numbers mean nothing. Here or home.

[ a shake of his head; it goes unregistered by the journals. ] If were for -- what's the word? Context. And naught else.

[endgames]

Mm. That is a point, I suppose.

[He sounds unbothered, resolved for him as simple as that.]

My bad, then. I apologize for making it sound like something troublesome.

[greenjacketed]

[ sharpe understands that it's likely his fault. somehow. it always is, when it comes to social niceties. he's never been able to cut the gruffness from his voice entire. once a drill sergeant, always a drill sergeant.

but he also sees no use in apologizing himself if the matter is already settled. ]

Taking stock of who might or might'nt have my back. As it'll only be so long before they drag us out of our kennels once again.

[endgames]

[Another apology would've been overkill.]

Stay here long enough, they'll get easier to pick out before and as it happens.

[greenjacketed]

And how long have you been here? [ A TENSE PAUSE, THEN WITH A CHUCKLE: ] The Major asked, purely from his own bloody curiousity.

[endgames]

[He snorts, amused.] Two years and some months.

[greenjacketed]

You don't count the months?

[ hmm. everyone else he'd spoken to kept such careful tabs on the time. he's intrigued to meet someone who didn't. ]

[endgames]

It's not like it's a prison sentence.

[He could figure it out quick if he wanted; it's simple math. But he doesn't see the point.]

[greenjacketed]

Certainly not. Prison is not so well furnished.