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031 -- [Action | Voice]
[Today is an understated awesome day, ladies and gentleman. To everyone? Okay, maybe not. But Shikamaru sure is pleased as punch. After a month's stay in the Battle Dome clinic recoveries from the injuries he got in his fight with Hidan, Shikamaru's finally cleared to check out today.
Before he gets the all-clear, he can be found in - brace yourselves - one of the Dome's simulation rooms. He's actually been using them for the past week for his physical therapy. If he's going to be doing a lot of walking, might as well change up the scenery.
Namely, he's replicated parts of the Nara Clan's forest. At its opening, the sky is more open, but the further in you go the thicker the trees grow together. Wandering will reveal easter eggs - old statues, broken and ruined, or a path of moss-covered stone lanterns. Maybe a young deer if you're lucky.
Other parts of the forest seem to be swallowed by shadow completely, offering nothing but pitch black that no amount of light will ease and the sense you're being watched if you step into them.
He'll try and clear up some stuff with Law before he goes, but after that he hits the journal.]
[Voice]
For those of you who saw that Vaskoth place... I figure it's been long enough. Name something you liked about it, if you can recall.
[Filtered to Molly (NPC) || 100% Unhackable]
You must be made of sterner stuff than I.
[/end voice]
[Feels like forever since he's been back in the swing of things. Shikamaru can be found at CH1 of course, in or around his apartment. Throughout the days following, he'll also be at the place formerly known as Azzip's, getting back to turning it into a convenience store.]
Before he gets the all-clear, he can be found in - brace yourselves - one of the Dome's simulation rooms. He's actually been using them for the past week for his physical therapy. If he's going to be doing a lot of walking, might as well change up the scenery.
Namely, he's replicated parts of the Nara Clan's forest. At its opening, the sky is more open, but the further in you go the thicker the trees grow together. Wandering will reveal easter eggs - old statues, broken and ruined, or a path of moss-covered stone lanterns. Maybe a young deer if you're lucky.
Other parts of the forest seem to be swallowed by shadow completely, offering nothing but pitch black that no amount of light will ease and the sense you're being watched if you step into them.
He'll try and clear up some stuff with Law before he goes, but after that he hits the journal.]
[Voice]
For those of you who saw that Vaskoth place... I figure it's been long enough. Name something you liked about it, if you can recall.
[Filtered to Molly (NPC) || 100% Unhackable]
You must be made of sterner stuff than I.
[/end voice]
[Feels like forever since he's been back in the swing of things. Shikamaru can be found at CH1 of course, in or around his apartment. Throughout the days following, he'll also be at the place formerly known as Azzip's, getting back to turning it into a convenience store.]
[Filtered]
Too busy for a chat? I could bring popcorn.
[He has a vague memory of offering that to her; vague enough he knows it has to have come from his other self during that one experiment.]
[Filtered]
[ Somewhat confused, taking him rather literally. ]
[Filtered]
Lady, tell you what. I'm itching to stretch my legs anyways. Name a place you feel comfortable meeting at and whether it's far out or not, I'll meet you there.
[Filtered]
... th-the Battle Dome would suffice. [ A beat. ] Do not bring anyone with you.
[Filtered]
You would pick there. [And then he turns around; back to the Dome then.] Roger, roger. Wherein shall I look for you?
[The Battle Dome is a crowded place most days, so he's assuming she has a more secluded corner in mind.]
[Filtered]
Not inside. Outside. M-M-Meet me in the woods not far from the entrance.
[Filtered]
[Filtered > Action]
I w-will see you soon.
[ It's not for everyone that she would agree to this much. Perhaps for Paprika. But Shikamaru may well be the only resident of the enclosure she actually sort of trusts. Thus, she does show up at this neutral location, slightly hidden from the main path by sparse forest. She doesn't want to be seen by any of the other residents, if possible; she does not trust them not to hurt her.
She is unarmed, wearing a big poofy parka over, oddly, a long skirt that goes down to her ankles. Strange winter wear. ]
[Action]
He makes no remark on her outfit, (it might be worth noting his own clothes are much looser on him than once before) but hey. He brought a bag of popcorn. :T]
[Action]
It says a very, very great deal that she is willing to do this at all. It effectively means, after all, that she trusts Shikamaru with her life. ]
H-H-Hello, Shikamaru.
[Action]
'lo, Molly.
[Casual, as he offers the bag of popcorn, but the meaning of her being here is not lost on him. More than once he's tried to reach out to her in one way or another, and he thinks he's had more success than most in getting a real response. All the same, she's always been guarded. This is putting her far outside of her comfort zone, he knows.]
Thank you for meeting me.
[Action]
Y-Y-You're welcome. It's n-n-n-no trouble.
[ Once again, her stammer becomes a bit more pronounced around him. Not because she is upset. Again, it is a sign of her trust. ]
[Action]
He nods and motions for them to walk, imagining she'd rather not stay in one place for so long. Especially as they're close to the Dome. If she goes for it, he'll let her lead if she makes the motions to.]
So before, you were saying you've kept busy.
[Invitation to elaborate, if she so chooses. He did come here for questions, but if it was all business he could've asked them on the journals. Her filter was secure enough for it.
But he thinks she needs some human interaction.]
[Action]
She follows his motion, leading them on a slow and meandering path with no real destination. His question wins a thoughtful silence. ]
If y-y-you're f-f-fishing for details, I c-c-can't give you m-many. [ She looks at him sideways, her expression very nearly approximating dry humor. ] I do research.
Re: [Action]
[Action]
Yes. It g-g-g-gets t-tedious.
[Action]
[Paperwork. It is the bane of all existence. 8|]
It's a separate subject matter, then? When you arrived, you said the Malnosso were interested in trading information.
[Action]
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If you're not comfortable saying, I don't care.
[Action]
It's n-n-not that. I couldn't t-t-tell you even i-if I wanted t-t-t-to.
[Action]
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This does toe the line of secret. ]
... c-c-call it a coincidence o-o-o-of birth.
[Action]
[If you watch closely, you can see things clicking in his head - or at least so far as he thinks he's on the right track. His expression changes, from brow creased in thought to a wide-eyed look.
Here. You were born here. Or if not this place, than another enclosure?]
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