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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.
[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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I'm ready when you are.
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[He can find a new one if he needs to, though. There's a big enough rock over there, which he angles his head to, though that won't be near as impressive.]
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1/2
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It's a cloud of explosive ash. Shikamaru breathes it out slowly, controlling the dispersal with eyes on the target. When it's gently surrounded the target, he deems it good enough and bites down, teeth gnashing against the flint in his mouth.
There's a spark, and then the cloud ignites, trapping the log in a contained explosion.]
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But then, he supposes it's not entirely surprising. ]
Have you learned any other Katon jutsus?
[ While the technique he used is certainly very effective, it has a drawback of requiring flint and takes more time to set up, in contrast with faster, more destructive attacks like Katon Goukyakkyu no Jutsu or Katon Housenka no Jutsu that only require careful chakra molding. ]
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No. That was the only one I was confident I could replicate from memory.
[Fire is not his elemental affinity, actually.]
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[ Though he's not sure if Shikamaru would really need it, especially with his kekkei genkai. Either way, Katon jutsus are good offensive strategies. ]
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As to the offer, Shikamaru blinks. He decides just to answer honestly.]
I never thought about it before.
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[ It's up to Shikamaru how he'd like to approach this, after all. ]
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[It's a promise, for sure. There's something far-off in his tone - he's turning over the opportunity even now - before he shunts it off to the back of his head and grounds himself.]
If you can come up with anything else that'd suit me. I'm not much for close combat like the rest of you.
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[Okay that's more like the Mizukage's style with those lava jutsus he's heard about, a bloodline limit which goes without saying is out of his reach. But something subtle, yet useful, is the sentiment.]
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[ And that's not something he'll ever teach anyone again. ]
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[He's good at reading the mood - he knows it was never on the table. But the quick-fire drawl helps take out some of the tension.]
I dunno then. But I'll think it over, as I promised.
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[ A nod as Kakashi glances over Shikamaru, idly wondering why the younger man is a touch reluctant to learn a new technique, especially if it's at his disposal. If it were Naruto or Sasuke, they would absolutely jump at the chance. But Shikamaru's never been quite as aggressive as either of the two; his kekkei genkai, Kagemane no Jutsu, is a kind of jutsu that predominately subdues and traps enemies, a more strategic technique than most elemental jutsu. ]
Well, if you want to work on any other types of elemental jutsu sometime, just let me know. [ A beat. ] Though, if Fuuton ends up being an element you develop, you may have to ask Yondaime or Naruto instead.
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[He didn't know the Yondaime was suited for that, though. That's interesting.]
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[ Kakashi gives Shikamaru a once-over. ]
Though, if I did have to pick an element for you, I would've always thought you to be more of an earth-type.