033 -- [Action]

[endgames]

[In anticipation of a witch hunt, Shikamaru left the village a solid week or more ago for a spot he could wait things out and do as he liked. After John's report to the village, he trained with Twila's powers some and checked out the barrier. He never forgot that looming detail - that a deadline was approaching - but it wasn't the loudest though to linger in his mind.

"I've let your new attitude and wings slide, because we're friends. But it's starting to make you do things you wouldn't normally in a bad way. You should get it together."

It's troublesome but not untrue, which means that comes before anything else. Control is the name of the game here. Twila catered to his apathy, and while there's something nice about not feeling sad or anxious anymore, until they split ways he's going to be the one calling the shots. And after that week... he is for the most part, and ready to take care of things.]

[Since it's hard telling over the journals how much things settled in the village, so on June 9th he makes his way back on his very best behavior. Best. Maybe. PROVOKE HIM AND FIND OUT. He's still possessed by the start of the day, but in general, Shikamaru can be found attempting to mind himself while doing any of the following:

1. Observing people from high up places and making weirdly realistic shadow puppets to pass the time
2. Exploring the new parts of the tunnels
3. Searching out anyone he might have been an ass to, because he should make up for that 8|

One way or another he's back to normal by the end of the day, so people might find him in CH1 too after the fact.]

Comments

[twinlionfists]

[Hinata was in the communal kitchen when Shikamaru entered the appropriate floor. After all of her visits, she was still willing to cook for whomever wished it. So far, no one had bothered her, but that didn't stop her from doing what she felt she could for her fellow shinobi and the neighbours on this floor of the apartment house.

The sound of his footsteps had her looking up from where she was preparing rice, body tense and alert. However, the familiar hairstyle and bored expression made the girl smile in relief.]

Hello, Shikamaru-kun. I see that you have returned. Are you hungry?

[endgames]

[Wow, how casual. Not that he minds it. He pokes his head of the kitchen now instead of walking past to his apartment's door.]

Yo. [Is he hungry? He's been having camping food for a week, so not cooking sounds nice, but he's a picky eater too.] Whatcha got?

[twinlionfists]

I am in the process of fixing gyudon, if you are interested.

[Sure, it wasn't very spectacular, but she found that she enjoyed the meal, especially with miso soup and green onions on top.]

There is also some left over gomaae from when I fixed dinner for Neji-niisan and Lee-san.

[endgames]

[He shrugs after a second, and walks toward the fridge.]

The gomae's fine. The way things disappear into the fridge, might as well finish it now before it returns with furry things growing on it and a vengeance.

[And it might not be kelp, but he likes his greens in general. Spinach is good.]

[generalflirt]

[Let's explore the tunnels...! OR meet up somewhere...! No really design the encounter Pi I'm lazy]

[endgames]

[Eventually Shikamaru gets bored of people watching. His point is made to Twila: that the village isn't a cesspool of chaos and destruction for the other hosts. Oddly, this disappoints the spirit as much as it pleases it.

Shikamaru takes it as a start, even if it seems it'll take more for Twila to buy the acceptance yet. He hops off the roof when traffic slows down enough, thinking about looking for someone or someones. As he walks through the square, however, he sees the entrance to the tunnels and stops.

What's down there is what started all of this. He wonders if anyone's given it another look, now that things in the village are dying down. Probably. After a little deliberation, he decides he wouldn't mind checking it out again himself and takes the stairs inside. From there, he makes his way along the familiar path that leads to the secret room they found before.]

[generalflirt]

[Masaomi is... sitting down there, in the middle of the path. See, the tunnels drown out the spirits a little, and as much as he was getting along with Tsinku, he wanted some privacy. Which is why he's sitting down here. Just. In the way like.]

[endgames]

[That his wings are still large is the first thing Shikamaru notices. He frowns, stopping his footfalls and folding his hands behind his neck. He scrutinizes him for another moment before his voice echoes in the tunnel.]

And they say I'm lazy... Did you find it too troublesome to walk the rest of the way?

[strangelyliteral]

[Shikamaru isn't the only one who's been keeping away from the village. For the most part, anyway; gal's gotta eat and rest somewhere, though with the number of people who were possessed diminishing, it makes her feel gradually more uncomfortable with the presence residing within her.

And there were other issues keeping her away.

So when a fellow large winged resident catches her attention, the spirit is drawn, of course, to the other. His shadow puppets might start to behave oddly in a bid for his attention.]

[endgames]

[He feels his shadow shifting as intimately as he would a person tapping him on the shoulder. Eyes shifting over the nearby area, he pauses before forcing control over one puppet in particular: a shadowy stick figure that waves its hand at the puppets Anya had tinkered with.]

[strangelyliteral]

[One of the tinkered with puppets waves back. Not enthusiastically. It then points it's arm over to Anya's shrouded spot, and beckons. Cautiously.]

[endgames]

[Dispersing the play, Shikamaru lazily draws himself upwards. His shadow melts back into its natural shape, mimicking his movements as he stretches his arms over his head until he can hear his back pop. Making a satisfied sound, he lets his arms swing back to his side and casually hops off the roof and walks in the shadows to her location.]

[etudes]

[ ... Huh.

It's not often that Kotomi finds people sitting that high up on the way to the library, so it's enough to actually make her stop for once - it's a wonder she even noticed him despite him standing out that much, actually, she's way too oblivious..

But at least she slowly moves her hand up as if she's greeting him. ]

[endgames]

[He's in the process of making a shadow puppet of a castle that's far too detailed for any two hands to cast, let alone create, when he notices her. Shikamaru doesn't stop what he's doing, but he does greet her as pleasantly as he would any other time from where he sits.]

Yo, Kotomi-chan.

[etudes]

...

Yo.

[ She says it so stiffly and blankly like always that it doesn't really sound like a greeting anymore. She's just copying it from him, either way.. ]

Shikamaru-kun, good day. Are you playing with shadows..? [ Don't say it like it's a normal thing, Kotomi. ]

[endgames]

[What what. It's totes normal. And they have to work on those greetings.]

Kinda sorta. [He moves his hands, so the shadow is cast on the ground before her, albeit only right-side-up from his perspective on the roof. But there's four big towers and a lowered drawbridge to it anyways.] What do you think?

action back to normal

[weaponry]

[ Tenten's been having a rough couple of weeks after learning about Neji's death. Her buns are starting to hang loosely, there's a bit of a dark ring under her eye and a more grim, unnerving, flat line on her face instead of her usual smirk smile.

Still, Shikamaru's return is something to praise and consider. ]

Hey, Shikamaru. How're you doing?

action

[endgames]

[He'd just taken a bite of the gomae Hinata offered him, on his way across the hall, when Tenten speaks out to him. Looking surprised - and a little concerned - by her appearance, he blinks and speaks around a mouthful of spinach.]

Better'n you, I'd say.

action

[weaponry]

I'm fine, Shikamaru. [ She offers a weak, mild mannered smile. ] Just got some bad news from home, that's all. [ She briefly brushes her hand against her forehead. It's obvious this is still affecting her pretty badly. ] It's just a lot to take in when you haven't experienced it yet, you know?

[action]

[frost_jewel]

[Not that Mia in her regular mental state would hold it against Shikamaru, but she is glad to see him meandering about looking thoughtful. It means she can apologize to him. No beating around this bush, either, she walks right up to him.]

May we talk?

[action]

[endgames]

[There's no shift in posture from him as she approaches, the lackadaisical slouch that's so characteristic of him unchanged as he barely breaks stride. Twila, within him, is less pleased but Shikamaru's spent the past week listening for the differences between it's feelings and his. It's paying off well.]

Sure. [He shoves his hands in his pockets.] I mean, I guess I could find you later, but who am I to argue against convenience if you were looking for me?

[action]

[frost_jewel]

I wanted to apologize for being so cold to you. I'm sorry.

[And a small bow, hands folded before her.]

SORRY SORRY I'M SO LATE

[precipitous]

[ Korra is not particularly observant, so even if Shikamaru may have been watching her at some point during the day, she doesn't notice it. She does notice him in passing later, however, and while he might not have been an ass to her, that's probably the reason she stops him with a grin. ]

Hey, Shikamaru. What's up?

IT'S COOL, I'VE BEEN SLOW

[endgames]

[She catches him looking at the tunnels somewhat curiously, his (still large) wings folded inwards. There's a pensive look on his face, but at the sound of his name, his head turns and it disappears.]

Hey. [His shoulders relax, and he sticks his hands in his pockets.] There was the sky, last I checked.

[precipitous]

Heh. Never heard that one before. [ She eyes his wings, more curious than wary. ] So...that's still a thing for you, huh?