endgames | 037 -- [Voice

[With Naruto MIA (and if he's being experimented on, he hopes his pal fries the Rogues good in the process), Shikamaru can't afford to cut out at the convenience store, much as he wants to. He takes the morning shift, debating whether he should look into hiring more people again, before finding his journal returned to him halfway in.

Yeah, returned. Don't ask. ...it got eaten, okay. Don't ask.

Later in the day, when he's off, he decides to mark the occasion.]

[Voice]

Congratulations, Luceti. As of today, it's been a year since TERRACE, and so a year since this village's seen a draft. They've been happening less and less frequently, but that's a record even for us. [Which is a good thing, if you can't tell from how pleased he sounds.]

Speaking about misconceptions... Let's play a game. Pretend I'm a New Feather here, freshly arrived and working on the half-naked problem. A couple dozen people have explained the thing about the wings, don't worry, but I still have no idea how I got here, or where 'here' is.

How do you explain the situation? What's the first thing you tell me about the world, or the Malnosso? If you don't feel comfortable saying it on the journals, you can find me at the playground if you want to say it in person. Any of you who've been here for less than two years, I'd be interested in your response especially.

[/end]

[True to his word, Shikamaru will be at the playground all afternoon, hogging the roundabout while school's still in session and begrudgingly giving it up when the kids are out for a spot in the sand. He'll have his journal and a separate notepad with him, scribbling in both.

When the sun goes down, he'll hang out for a little while longer for latecomers before calling it a day and going to the bar. He has no intention of getting sloshed, but he'll stick around long enough to have some fun and knock back more than a few.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Do you believe the guide needs to be updated, or should these misconceptions be solved in another public manner?

[If he feels they need to be solved at all.]

The Guide covers it already; the root of the problem is its spread by word of mouth. The more I turn it over, I understand that to fully rectify the situation, there's no one-time fix for it. It's something that needs to be addressed regularly.

Agreed, then.

[A pause.]

I'm glad you're looking into this situation then, Shikamaru. You're the best person to do so.

I think Albert could do one better. He did it for years, after all.

Mm. Perhaps.

[Modesty is a good trait in a ninja.]

Have you been working with him?

[Enough people think highly of him that he doesn't think twice about trying to live up to their expectations of him anymore. Still weird to hear the compliments, though.

From Itachi no less. When did he become one of the few adults Shikamaru finds he can rely on for an honest assessment these days?]

When he deigns to impart some wisdom.

I see.

[So not the most open of working relationships.]

If there's anything else I can do to be of help to you...

[Yeah, if you want helpful and open, his situation with Itachi right now might be one of the higher working relationships on his list. Which tells you how things are going with the rest.]

...There might be.

Oh?

[Completely serious airs now. The other ninja's full attention has been gained.]

[...]

Could I talk to you in private?

Of course.

Just name the time and place.

Anywhere's fine. I can stop by your house tomorrow, if that makes it easy.

I will be in the greenhouse outside our home after lunch and will likely stay there for a couple of hours.

[He nods, and saying no more cuts off the feed. Noonish - since he assumes that's when lunch is - he makes his way to the greenhouse Itachi mentioned.

PS he really should've asked for a better time, in hindsight. It's way too bright out here. 8|]

[He will find the door unlocked. The man himself will be busy tending to some snow peas.

Some of the plants inside grow tall enough to provide a little shade, if the sun is so bothersome.]

[He gravitates naturally to it as he steps inside, for more reasons than one. Such is being a Nara.]

Yo. Regular jungle in here.

[The older ninja gives a short nod.]

It takes a fair bit of time to tend to, but I find it comforting.

[He turns his head slightly in Shikamaru's direction.]

And it's also good for privacy.

Sure better than that rooftop you used to work with.

[On both fronts. And it's easier to comment on that then to find a segue into what he came here to talk about. Yesterday he felt comfortable enough to ask, and should've acted then. Second-guessing yourself is just a bother, and one he doesn't usually deal with.]

[Another nod.]

I have an outside one here also.

[He sets down the pair of clippers he'd been using, and now faces the other ninja fully.]

What is it you wanted to talk about, Shikamaru?

Straight to the chase...

[Shikamaru massages the back of his neck with one hand, glancing to the side.]

What do you think of... [Hm. He straightens and fixes his attention.] What do you think of the Luceti Projects proposal?

I think it's a large undertaking. Something that's been attempted before but not quite at the same level.

This village needs organization. I am not opposed to that. [He crosses his arms over his chest, debating Shikamaru's reasoning for the question.] But it's been without it so long that the inhabitants don't care much for change.

Is that what you've run into?

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