[Today is an understated awesome day, ladies and gentleman. To everyone? Okay, maybe not. But Shikamaru sure is pleased as punch. After a month's stay in the Battle Dome clinic recoveries from the injuries he got in his fight with Hidan, Shikamaru's finally cleared to check out today.

Before he gets the all-clear, he can be found in - brace yourselves - one of the Dome's simulation rooms. He's actually been using them for the past week for his physical therapy. If he's going to be doing a lot of walking, might as well change up the scenery.

Namely, he's replicated parts of the Nara Clan's forest. At its opening, the sky is more open, but the further in you go the thicker the trees grow together. Wandering will reveal easter eggs - old statues, broken and ruined, or a path of moss-covered stone lanterns. Maybe a young deer if you're lucky.

Other parts of the forest seem to be swallowed by shadow completely, offering nothing but pitch black that no amount of light will ease and the sense you're being watched if you step into them.

He'll try and clear up some stuff with Law before he goes, but after that he hits the journal.]

[Voice]

For those of you who saw that Vaskoth place... I figure it's been long enough. Name something you liked about it, if you can recall.

( [Filtered to Molly (NPC) || 100% Unhackable] )

[Feels like forever since he's been back in the swing of things. Shikamaru can be found at CH1 of course, in or around his apartment. Throughout the days following, he'll also be at the place formerly known as Azzip's, getting back to turning it into a convenience store.]

If I see another mountain again, it'll be too soon. Did any of you know that sirry means "ridiculous"? [He snorts.] Explains a lot. Avalanches. Yetis. More freaking snow. Man, that mission was a pain...

[/whine and complain]

Anyways. I'm back. [Technically has been for two days albeit not in town, so he'll make it official.] Anything interesting hap- [His disinterested tone gives way to irritation as he turns his attention to something off-screen.] Oi that's not for you-

[The journal snaps shut with a sigh. He never finishes speaking, but about an hour later the post is transcribed... minus the interruption, and now with complete sentences.

If you're out today now that the heavy rain of the few days is finally letting up, you might spot Shikamaru coming back into the village from the North... closely followed by a deer much larger than Luceti's usual fare ((think five feet at the shoulders, six at the head, and eight feet with antlers)). The stag seems pretty content to follow him around - even into town or just standing around when he sits - despite sticking to the tree-lined paths when he can. Shikamaru talks to him sometimes.

Yes, talks, shut up.]

Show of hands if someone tried to prank you yesterday.

[Annoyed as he sounds, he's mostly gotten over it. Simply put, Shikamaru is just too lazy to hold a grudge when it comes to most things. He's still curious, however.

...but no longer orange, thankfully.]

------

[Later on, just before evening, Shikamaru can be found on his way back from the Item's Shop to CH 1, a certain book in tow. And for a book that stands at half his height and is nearly two feet thick when closed, we do mean tow. He'll be taking frequent breaks along his way back, dropping the book with a loud thud before sitting beside it on every bench he comes across.]

Damn thing weighs more than Temari's fan...

[Yeah, yeah, he's pretty weak for a ninja, he knows, but hey. The book does weigh about a hundred pounds or more. 8|

A passerby might catch him during one of those breaks, looking over it's contents in curiosity while the light is still good outside. But from there it's back to lugging it home.

The Nara Clan's medicine manual... the old man would kick my ass if I just left it lying around.]