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008 -- [Voice || Action]
[Voice]
Oi. What's easy to make for dinner, besides sandwiches and microwave dinners?
[Let's face it - Shikamaru can cook for himself if need be, but Chouji's the food lover. Unfortunately there comes a point where one gets bored of the dishes they know how to make - particularly when those dishes are sandwiches and instant food.
Speaking of instant food - he'll just beat Naruto to the punch on this one. 8|] ...Or ramen.
[/end voice]
[Fortunately he has some time to take suggestions. Once he's finished his regular daily regimen of training for the day (something he's been keeping up on since Chouji was taken), he can be found in a clearing not too far from the path to town, next to the river. There's a shogi board with him, set on a turn table, and it likely looks like he's playing himself.
Of course, if you're more familiar with Tsinku, or just paying closer attention to the rumble of thunder in the background that rolls when Shikamaru switches to playing the opposite side, you might guess differently. Apparently, as he learned the other day in a conversation with Law, the filial spirits have some interest in games. And surprisingly when it comes to shogi, Tsinku's turning out to a challenging opponent.
He hasn't known the spirit long enough to learn from him just yet, but he pays attention to him all the same. The sooner he can build up a relationship with Tsinku, the faster he can learn from him. And any skill he can pick up is a useful one. Especially here.
...This past week has been a rough one. Aside from Shino, Luceti's officially screwed with everyone he cares about now - and there's next to nothing he can do about it. It may prove to be futile, but he's going to be prepared for when it happens again.
In any case, it's the reason he's out here on a day like today. And he'll be out here until it starts to snow again or gets dark, whichever comes first.]
Oi. What's easy to make for dinner, besides sandwiches and microwave dinners?
[Let's face it - Shikamaru can cook for himself if need be, but Chouji's the food lover. Unfortunately there comes a point where one gets bored of the dishes they know how to make - particularly when those dishes are sandwiches and instant food.
Speaking of instant food - he'll just beat Naruto to the punch on this one. 8|] ...Or ramen.
[/end voice]
[Fortunately he has some time to take suggestions. Once he's finished his regular daily regimen of training for the day (something he's been keeping up on since Chouji was taken), he can be found in a clearing not too far from the path to town, next to the river. There's a shogi board with him, set on a turn table, and it likely looks like he's playing himself.
Of course, if you're more familiar with Tsinku, or just paying closer attention to the rumble of thunder in the background that rolls when Shikamaru switches to playing the opposite side, you might guess differently. Apparently, as he learned the other day in a conversation with Law, the filial spirits have some interest in games. And surprisingly when it comes to shogi, Tsinku's turning out to a challenging opponent.
He hasn't known the spirit long enough to learn from him just yet, but he pays attention to him all the same. The sooner he can build up a relationship with Tsinku, the faster he can learn from him. And any skill he can pick up is a useful one. Especially here.
...This past week has been a rough one. Aside from Shino, Luceti's officially screwed with everyone he cares about now - and there's next to nothing he can do about it. It may prove to be futile, but he's going to be prepared for when it happens again.
In any case, it's the reason he's out here on a day like today. And he'll be out here until it starts to snow again or gets dark, whichever comes first.]
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But it's something to work on. If he were back home, that sort of a delay could be a deadly one.
...He still has no idea what to make of Itachi, anothing thing this place has made overly complicated. One the one hand, it's nice to have not had to fight him; on the other, his reputation back home means he always feels like he has to be prepared for it.
Shikamaru takes a mental inventory of the weapons he has on hand before looking up from the board.] ...Long time no see.
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[He takes another few steps closer, casually, stopping when he's within easy striking distance.]
You seem to have found someone who can offer you more of a challenge than I could.
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True enough. Though even now, I haven't had nearly enough practice with the game.
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[There's a roll of thunder overhead, and Shikamaru moves a lance forward before turning the table back to his own side of the board.]
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[He slips his hand out of his shirt and back into its sleeve before sticking both hands in his pockets.]
I suppose I'll be a nuisance if I stay and watch.
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[Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. If it were as simple as that, he'd offer you a match, Itachi. But it's a puzzle he hasn't been able to solve yet, with everything that's been going on.]
But there's nothing I can do to stop you if you wanted to. [He slides a tile forward, then turns the table back for Tsinku. Who may or may not play the game to its finish in either case.]
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Carry on, then.]
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After a few more turns, the thunder cracks a little louder, almost scolding. Shikamaru continues the game with a muttered apology.]
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He takes his turns more quickly, and they don't quite suffer for it. Even so, it will be more obvious soon that the match has taken a turn towards it's conclusion.
It's been a good game, and if he ends this sooner rather than later there can be other ones. Especially as Tsinku seems to enjoy winning.]
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With this much of a concentrated use of them, however, they will fade back to black almost immediately when the match is through. It's still strange, not having the usual amount of stamina, which hadn't been the best before.]
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His grin fades, and he starts to collect the shogi tiles.]
...a shogi game seems like a troublesome thing to waste energy on.
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[And perhaps he'd be in trouble if he ended up having to fight someone this evening, but hopefully there wouldn't be any need for him to today of all days.
He continues to listen as Shikamaru packs up, remaining where he is.]
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[He's not really expecting an answer.]
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[He moves now, stepping forward in order to sit down across from Shikamaru.]
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How about asking what it is that you want.
You saw nothing.
...If I knew the answer to that I'd share it with you.
Pfft. It actually took me a second to figure out what it is that I didn't see.
[Common sense dictates he should be less sarcastic.]
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[There's a creak from the turn table, as he turns it around so he won't have to reach across it for the remaining pieces.] Why bother with any of us? Luceti doesn't change the fact that we should be enemies, just that there's no reason to act on it.
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...Have you seen my brother recently?
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I haven't heard from him since Hal- [No, that's not right. It's been more recent than that. It's just difficult to keep your dates straight when the memory feels ten years old.]
Not since I saw him at the bar - that would've been over a month ago.
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He is no longer here.
[He'd know if he was. And this after he'd told the boy he'd do his best to keep him there.]
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1/2
So much tl;dr, I'm sorry. >.>
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