030 -- [Action]

[endgames]

[Shikamaru's a hard man to find after this (on-going) thread.

He doesn't return to his apartment until the next morning, through the spare bedroom and not the front door. It's doubtful anyone else will catch him outside of his own floor for the next several days, though he always has his journal on him.

Those days are also partially spent tracking down Tony Stark, Law, Itachi, Gold, Silver, and a few others in his building to warn them about Hidan. Masaomi will no doubt hear from him when he gets back, and Riku may have learned what he needs to know from Ino before Shikamaru gets to him, but they're both on the list. He'll also be visiting the Avatar house for a few people in particular, but given that's half the house he won't be shunning anyone else he runs into there.]

Comments

[action!]

[endgames]

[He's relieved she gets it. That makes him feel less unreasonable. But seeing her dejected like that... is he being too stubborn?

But there's no room for softness right now.]

...be prepared. He told me he'd be gunning for me and you.

[Much as he'd like to keep even Ino out of this, there's no choice with that. And he'll admit it: he needs her.]

action

[stilldontgotit]

Stop spells freeze their target; they're left completely vulnerable for at least a few seconds, and by the time the spell wears off, all the damage they took hits them at once.

[He brings a hand to his chin.]

A stop spell combined with a hit to the wings might knock him down a few pegs, but I know it'd be reckless to get close to him in the first place.

[mischiefbreeder]

Well, if you plan on confrontin', you might wanna pick one. The whole "charging headlong into battle without a strategy" thing doesn't suit you.

[endgames]

Ha. [He rubs the back of his head.] Don't worry. I already learned that lesson.

[If they hadn't had Kakashi, Team 10 probably would've been killed by Kakuzu in their revenge attempt. He rushed into it.]

I'll be ready this time. The guy's stuffed in a tree for now, so I still have time to figure it out.

action

[endgames]

Maybe if you had a partner who could restrain him. Definitely don't risk it if you don't.

action;

[breezing]

Well...I'll see you later, then! Be sure to come back to play sometime, 'kay?

[action!]

[floralogy]

[That dejected look doesn't last long. She frowns, crossing her arms before her chest.]

I think that's inevitable. Let's just hope you and I are enough.

[While, yes, she's against the whole leave them out of this, at least she's hoping Hidan will leave out innocent people who didn't even have anything to do with him.]

I'll always stay alert but chances are he'll go after you first. [And by the way she says that gives an underlying message of 'I'll watch your back.']

action;

[endgames]

I'll see what I can do.

[But he's not so confident it will be any time soon, as he stands to wave her off with a smile.]

[action!]

[endgames]

I'm prepared for that.

[From the way his expression shifts from bothered to determined, he's banking on it actually.]

I've already worked our multiple strategies around it, if it happens.

[action!]

[floralogy]

[She smiles a little at that determination.]

That's good, at least. If anything, it's nice to know we're prepared. [She has that much faith in him and in his strategies, if not her own faith on herself. It's comforting to frequently regard the positives.]

But I think you should have some sleep.

[action!]

[endgames]

[Her words remind him how exhausted he is. Hungry too, but now he doesn't think he has the stomach to eat like he'd hoped he would when he came out here. He sags a little.]

After I've talked to Masaomi. [His brain's still running a mile a minute. He honestly doesn't know if he could sleep if he tried.] Maybe I'll have cooled off by the time he wakes up.

[action!]

[floralogy]

Don't overwork yourself.

[Or overthink, for that matter. She can tell from the start that he's tired and if not only because this conversation is urgent, she wouldn't have pressed him on it. She knows sleep is important to him and to know he seems too bothered to even sleep says something.]

You'll need to rest and reserve your energy for when something comes up. [A sigh as she looks to the side.] I guess we both do.

[action!]

[endgames]

Hai... [He'll give himself a day to refresh himself before going out again, body and spirit. Cool head, agile mind, like his father would say.

This thought process clicks with her words, however, and he looks back over to her.]

You didn't stay up this whole time too, did you?

[action!]

[floralogy]

[She snorts at his question, shaking her head a little.]

Of course not. I managed to sleep a few hours. [Which would probably indicate that, yes, she had trouble sleeping too.]

[action!]

[endgames]

[Well he's glad to know that. He know he kind of took off without notice, and no doubt worried some of his friends like that, but he feels less guilty knowing she had enough faith in him to know he'd come back to at least try for sleep. He smiles, sincerely.]

You should try for another six.

action;

[breezing]

[ Ikki will wave to Shikamaru until she can't see him any longer. After that?

She'll head inside and greet the family. See you later, bro. ]

[action!]

[floralogy]

Only if you'd do the same.

[Yes, she'd try any means necessary to get him to sleep.]

action

[stilldontgotit]

He'd probably be safer to handle in a group, anyway. Gives him more to focus on at once.

[markofthebrave]

[Something unpleasant flashed in her eyes.]

So you're going to go up against him alone.

[endgames]

Possibly.

action

[endgames]

[Shikamaru shakes his head.]

That's not how he does things. I've attacked him within a team twice. He fights one-on-one, no matter what the others throw at him.

[action!]

[endgames]

I'm going, I'm going...

[action!]

[floralogy]

I don't see you hurrying.

action

[stilldontgotit]

So he's the kind of guy to stay focused on one target...

[That complicates things a bit.]

So what does he do if others attack him?

action

[endgames]

Let the attack hit, if it's not the type to slow him down like my jutsu. What's mortal injury to a non-mortal?