endgames | 034 -- [Video

[Video]

[The feed kicks on to a counter in the convenience store, height adjusting a split second after as if the person holding the journal realized he needs to hold it higher if anyone is going to see what's on the counter.

Correction made, the journal reveals a SLURPEE MACHINE, clean and ready to go with cups stacked to the side. The labels of the four flavors it offers are clearly displayed, from left to right: Mountain Dew, Blue Raspberry, Orange, and Dr. Pepper.

After holding it there for a good thirty seconds, Shikamaru turns his journal back to himself, straight-faced as he checks to make sure he got all the important bits shown. When it's confirmed, he focuses back on the feed itself with a grin.]

You're welcome.

[/end video]

[Shikamaru spends most of his day in the convenience store, prideful over the new working addition. Less so over what to do about the fresh-to-go items the store should be offering. At least he was able to get a Shift so the refrigerated items in the store self-replenish, and one for the slurpee machine too. The rest he'll have to figure out.

When evening comes along, Shikamaru goes into the tunnels to work more on the computer in there. After that, he detours for the bar instead of going home. Both of his roommates/two of his best friends are gone on a mission, so it's not like anyone will miss him. The least tidy out of the three of them, the apartment will be a mess when they get back so might as well take one day off from dirtying it up further. Besides, he has some items to drop off for Buffy anyways.

He'll just have a couple drinks after (no repeat of that other time) and go home.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Coming!

Whistling.]

Hope that thing wasn't too difficult to set up.

[How technically challenging the setup of a slurpee machine is and if Shikamaru needed to set it up in the first place, he didn't know.]

Looks cool, though.

I didn't get it right the first time, but it was cake after I opened it up and got to looks at its insides. [Thank you engineering lessons.] I've got a Shift on it now so it keeps its own maintenance.

[He looks so proud.]

And it refills itself? [He would think so given certain laziness factors.] Heh, sounds like everyone can enjoy it with no more work involved.

Okay, let's try that Dr. Pepper, please.

By the way, you should know I got an answer to my question.

[The one that required chakra paper, that is.]

[He makes a face. This is supposed to be self-serve, okok, but he's going for the cup and filling it up nonetheless. He raises an eyebrow, but doesn't look over to Law as he pulls the handle to the machine. Keeps track so it doesn't overflow.]

Yeah?

[Oh shush. Consider this a chance to show off your haxx slurpee pouring skills.]

Yeah.

It wasn't the Haki. Turns out I'm a water type.

Huh. [Aaand stopping the flow. He sticks a straw in the cup.] Interesting. I don't know many of those, barring Katara.

[With a half-smirk. Because it's not like she needs to be tested for serious.]

Not with it as their primary, anyway. [ahaha... nope. She does not. ... he can't really think of any secondary users bar Itachi, either.] I find it pretty ironic.

[Ah, that good old DF weakness.

... that ready slurpee's looking real good. He reaches to take it off of Shikamaru's hands.]

Thanks.

Edited 2013-07-30 06:00 (UTC)

[A wave. You're welcome.]

Heh. I guess it would be. Not entirely useless, but tricky.

Tricky's the best word for it. [There's plenty he could still do with it without using techniques that could potentially backfire on him.] I'll be happy if I just develop good chakra control. Might save my hide one day.

[Waterwalking is the best ninja skill ever, you know.

Taking a sip. Eyebrows going up.]

Mmm. That's pretty good. Cinnamon flavored?

[He hums a bit, thinking on that. It's probably not impossible... he taught Masaomi, after all, so he should know.

But looking at Law from the corner of his eye, he can't help but think he's too old. There's almost a decade between him, and Shikamaru's roommate.]

The Dr. Pepper? Yeah, that's been my guess.

I like it. It's not as sweet as some of the other things I've tried.

[Aka your Mountain Dew.

... that's a suddenly thoughtful expression you have there, Shikamaru. Law tilts his head even as he sips a little on his slurpee, and makes a slight questioning noise at the back of his throat.]

Is there something on your mind, Shikamaru?

[Mountain Dew is ambrosia in a cup to him, okok

And he shakes his head.]

Was just thinking. You're like... Almost thirty, right?

[...

Okay, okay... he doesn't look that old, right.]

Twenty-six, actually.

[Nearly twenty seven, but not almost thirty.]

Eh, that's close enough. It doesn't really matter. It's still old.

[Because twenty is practically middle-aged when you're a ninja, okok.]

By shinobi standards. [With a certain amount of knowing from Toshio's memories.] Believe it or not, I'm one of the youngest members of my own generation.

What's that make people like Luffy and Nami?

Rookies, just like me. [Thoughtful.] Generations of pirates aren't measured by age, but when they come to attention by the authorities.

[Thoughtful, because he knows where this subject came from.] There's twelve of us that are considered the elite - the Supernovas. We range all the way up to about fifty years old. Kicker is, we're all around the same strength.

Aa. You're counting it different than I am. There's little limit when it comes to developing that kind of strength.

[As a Devil Fruit user increases their mastery of their fruit, they begin to understand the difference between the natural limits of the fruit and the limits set by their own mentality. Belief something is impossible makes it impossible.

... so he's skeptical of that. Curious how many people his age and beyond have actually been bothered to been taught - Shikamaru's society puts such a premium on youth after all. Wonders how many approached it with the mindset of it was impossible - being told they were too old. Wonders how old the first ones were when they developed it. Certainly when it was being spread all over, not only children were being taught?]

Then what makes this different?

[Law's genuinely curious here.]

[If their world was anything like how it was a hundred years ago, it's unlikely. When most of your children can be expected to die off before puberty, there's no other chances to learn.]

It becomes progressively harder to learn how to mold and increase your chakra reserves the older you get. Since chakra is the combination of physical and mental energies, the single best time to go about this is as a child, when you're still rapidly developing. It's the time in which we learn the most, and our bodies are also at their most adaptable.

[He raises a finger.] It's not impossible to teach someone who's older, but it will take more time to achieve the same results, with added difficulty for the student. I've noticed this, in training Masaomi.

034 -- [Video | Action]

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