endgames | 036 -- [Voice]

((Backdated to February 4th))

[It's been a long time since Shikamaru's failed a mission. All right. Failure might be too strong a word for this one. He can actually laugh at that. This isn't like when he was twelve. It's a personal embarrassment, not something that's going to keep him up at night, sick to his stomach.

A failure is a failure though, and that makes it a pain in the ass. He'd apologized to the MSF personnel profusely, and requested to be put on a different mission to make up for the screw-up. They'd looked nonplussed about the whole thing and stuck him back in Luceti, but eh. Shikamaru decides to keep his journal close to him anyways, in case they take him up on that. It's for this reason he doesn't go out to do any of the things he probably should. He passes the time by flipping through the journal instead, and thinking over the last mission.]

[Voice]

When I first came to this village, I remember going out. Left or right, it seemed anywhere I looked someone was using that so-called "filial magic". ...Haaa. [He scratches his head, and there's a smirk in his voice.] That's an exaggeration, but you get it. That was years ago, though. It seemed like it was becoming less common until that incident last year, when everyone got possessed.

Anyone learning anything from those guys now? Seems like the kind of thing that would spark interest, especially with one extra spirit hanging around.

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[He silently agrees, but that still doesn't mean he likes it. The entire concept of the filial magic has been bothering him for months now and he still has concerns. Ideas that really freak him out a little more than he's letting on.]

Now I know this may sound strange, but have you ever heard of people who are able to use this magic being...changed? Like their minds being warped by another force, simply because they possess the ability, much like the Third Party are? Or even so, if the Third Party possesses the ability to control those of us who are able to use the filial magic?

[Changed.

He can't answer that one right now; doesn't have enough information to be sure. In the interest of tacking one question at a time, it's fortunate Vegeta had more to say, otherwise Shikamaru wouldn't know how to respond to that.]

There's been nothing like that, now. When it comes to filial magic, the only time I've seen people influenced outside their normal behavior was when the spirits were doing it themselves. You were there for that.

Don't remind me. If that happens again I'll be locking myself in the Battle Dome for the entire duration. [That might simply be the closest thing Vegeta would give as an apology of 'sorry I tried to kill you' as he can muster.]

So you think that it's rather safe to be learning this...shifting, then. That's what I'm getting out of it so far.

There's never been an incident from just learning it. From seven of 'em, anyways. If you want to be safe about it, Twila hasn't been present in this village as long as the others, so it could pay to wait and see how things play out with that one.

That isn't going to be a problem, because I don't intend on ever contacting that spirit. [Or any of the other ones, he thinks. He hopes. IT IS JUST A REALLY COMPLICATED MESS FOR HIM. He just tried really hard to ignore it for all this time even though it bugged him, only for stupid Kakarot to come along and just make things MORE DIFFICULT and

it's a long story, it really is]

I'd hope no one is bothering with that one. I don't trust it.

Edited (...WHERE DID ALL THOSE SPACES COME FROM IDK) 2014-02-15 02:33 (UTC)

[Shikamaru shrugs.]

I don't. If no one trusts it, it'll probably just get annoyed and act up again.

[Offscreen, out of view from the journal's camera, Shikamaru conjures a kunai into existence, made from shadow into the palm of his hand. He turns it over, brow furrowed in study.

Truth be told, he wonders if Twila's acting up already.]

Who is it you're thinking of contacting, then?

Edited 2014-02-15 17:15 (UTC)

[There's a pause before he speaks, maybe a moment too long.]

I haven't decided yet. [It's a half truth. If and when he ever had to, if he has to, he hasn't decided. Magic is a vile thing, especially if it's shifting. But he remembers the conversation he had with Kotetsu after that incident with the General. And he can't let Goku have the upper hand on him.]

I just had to make sure. Receiving any sort of power from someone or something like that always has consequences, hear me.

[It reminds him of bad memories from back home, and that makes him feel a little sick just revisiting the memory, even for a second.]

Isn't that true of all power?

Yes, but I'd feel better with a power I cultivated myself than one granted to me from a source we don't know that much about, or isn't to be trusted. Some fire isn't meant to be played with, boy. I know, I witnessed it firsthand myself.

[He shrugs.] That may be so. Myself, I'd rather risk the consequences if it means I can learn how to expose the same weakness in the enemy. But I understand where you're coming from, completely.

[Vegeta isn't so sure he does understand completely, but he keeps his big fat mouth shut because that might lead to a road that he's not willing to go down.]

You can still beat them without it. It just won't be as easy. [Maybe. He's not sure, not here at least. Not with enemies who's powers function far different from what he's used to.]

I can. But maybe someone else can't. [A shrug.] It's not all about what I can do.

[That alone told Vegeta a lot about Shikamaru. He thinks he understands a little better.]

Heh. You sound as soft as I'm starting to become. And it sounds awful. [He did offer to train people in the most Vegeta-like way possible, a while back.]

[If going 'soft' was an offensive as Vegeta uses the term, Shikamaru doesn't think he'd lump himself in with the definition. At the least, not to describe himself to a near stranger. It bothers him in the least.]

You're comparing me to you, of all people?

[Because ew ew, now that's annoying. He's not nearly as short.]

You're right, you aren't worthy of such a comparison. Sorry for letting the words slip out of my mouth like that. I'll be more careful next time.

[What a rude child-!]

Relax, relax. It's a joke.

[This guy ruffles so easy. It's like trying to mess around with his moth-- fuck there are worse comparisons.]

[He huffs over the journal, a little butthurt to say the least, even if it was a joke. Really, he should know better- he gets that crap all the time at home, too.]

It's hard to tell with you, sometimes.

More like your ego bruises easily. Someone serious and not joking only says those things if they think they can dodge a punch to the mouth.

Then perhaps they should think about opening their mouth at all. Not everyone appreciates that, you know. [So what if Shikamaru is right. Doesn't mean he has to be happy about it.]

Fair enough.

Good. I'm glad we've come to an understanding on this.

If you have any other questions about the spirits, lemme know and I'll do what I can to help out.

Edited 2014-02-22 00:35 (UTC)

I'll hold you to that. I've got business to attend to, so if you'll excuse me.

[And he just closes his journal without another word. He hopes he doesn't have to ask about the spirits again, but...again, he can't rule it out, not anymore.]