009 -- [Action]

[its_troublesome]

[Being a cloud? It is just as awesome as Shikamaru always thought it would be. For the most part, he's been able to just float along at his leisure, observing anything interesting and not having to do anything when there was nothing else around. He's sure he won't want to stay like this forever, but he wouldn't mind it for another few days.

Comments

[mikangirl]

[It wasn't frozen over, but it WASN'T GOLD EITHER. Darn it, it does wear off. Nami was just about to rectify this when you showed up. 8| Gah, splashed by falling ninja!

So when Shikamaru climbs out of the fountain, he's going to have one somewhat dripping navigator giving him a dirty look. :|]

[smoke_shadows]

[What are you glaring for? He's sopping. 8|

But okay, some apology is probably an order.] ...my bad.

[mikangirl]

[...sigh.] No, it's okay. You probably can't help it in a week like this. Were you a bird before?

[smoke_shadows]

Heh. Cloud, actually.

[goldenglasses]

[How does Shikamaru feel about black cats? He's not superstitious or anything is he? Because there is now a black cat crossing his path

...with a screaming donut in her mouth.]

NO! Bad kitty! PUT ME DOWN! I'm not for eating! STOP!

[smoke_shadows]

[Not superstitious in the slightest. He probably wouldn't have paid it any attention if it weren't for the screaming.

...the hell? Shikamaru watches for another few seconds out of curiosity before swiftly sticking a foot out to catch the cat by surprise under her belly.]

[goldenglasses]

[Kuroneko is stopped, and turns her green eyes on you with a muffled: Neryo? The donut is not so quiet.]

GET ME AWAY FROM HER!

[smoke_shadows]

Oi, oi. You wanna get bitten in half? [He can't just snatch the donut away... why the hell is he talking to a donut.

Either way, like any shinobi in his age group, he remembers the trauma of genin missions spent looking for Tora, the cat. So quickly, before she can run away, Shikamaru reaches down to grab Kuroneko by the scruff of the neck. He's careful not to hurt her, but he's hoping the surprise will make her open her mouth.]

[felltoirony]

[Some might be allowed a change. Itachi is not. This is what happens when you obsess.

At this point he's modified his clothes slightly so that he can hang one arm out of the front of his shirt. It's comfortable.]

Shikamaru-san.

[Chouji was also a possibility, but the connections had seemed stronger with Nara.]

[smoke_shadows]

[He's distracted; should've heard him coming earlier than he did. The pieces click into place when he sees him though, in the way he speaks and holds himself. He was right - this isn't Sasuke.

...He went to all that effort for nothing. God dammit. 8|]

Itachi.

[felltoirony]

[With certain people already knowing who he is, it hardly seems necessary to keep it hidden at this point.

He nods his head once.]

Should I find you a towel?

[smoke_shadows]

[He shoves his hands into his pockets.] I can find one myself, though I won't say no if you just so happen to be able to point me in the right direction.

[bethereinaflash]

[That's quite a display, man. So much of one, that it's getting Naruto completely soaked with water. After a surprised shriek (in the Fourth's voice to boot), Naruto just grumbles under his breath, not even noticing not!Shikamaru being the source of this... wet.]

Man, come on! [And it's cold out too.]

[smoke_shadows]

[Seeing as the voice was decidedly male, Shikamaru initially ignored it in favor of dealing with the other person who was splashed - who was female and glaring at him and thus promised to be more troublesome. 8|

WHILE BEING IGNORED, at least Naruto might actually be able to recognize that voice, huh?]

[bethereinaflash]

[While being busy with the whole futile arm wave in an attempt to get dry, Naruto will most definitely recognize that voice coming from the fountain. He isn't sure if it's a product of the experiment, but... there's always that possibility -- the possibility that he just arrived. He's totally ignoring what is actually being said.

Naruto is just going to stare in disbelief. Feeling that piercing stare yet?]

[smoke_shadows]

[He does, and he's quick to wrap up his other conversation because of it.

When he does turn to look, he recognizes the figure pretty fast. The guy's face is carved into a mountain back home, after all.]

...The Fourth? [Thinking along the same lines as Naruto is now - keeping in mind they're in the middle of an experiment, he realizes this might not be the Fourth Hokage either.]

[savethelastchip]

[ Don't worry, buddy, at least you're not alone in the somewhat backlash-holding return to thumbdom. That return to CH1 will be partially showcasing a much larger, older wicked badass Akimichi than Luceti usually lays claim to.

... yeah, Chouji's the Chouza looking generally happy to be outside of the building again! And also kind of concerned for the rest of the doorknobs of the world because he doesn't know his dad's own strength. >.> ]

[smoke_shadows]

[Dried off and headed home, Shikamaru's basically figured out the mechanics behind this experiment. Having access to the journals again - something he wasn't able to do as a cloud - made it clear fairly quick.

So he's really not too surprised to see Akimichi-san's guise when he winds up back home.]

No longer barbecue flavored, huh?

[savethelastchip]

[ Leave it to Shikamaru. Mustering up all admirable diplomacy in the face of...well, that face. It's good that he at least has a general vibe of not-quite-Asuma-sensei to go with it, or that would be much harder to do.

And maybe he'd almost expected it, too. Seems like people are getting all that kind of luck. ]

Looks like it. [ Heh. ] For now, anyway.

[smoke_shadows]

[He very much appreciates that so much of that went unsaid. For obvious reasons. Lord knows he's not looking forward to seeing a mirror anytime soon.]

Heh. Just watch out for wandering cats if it happens again. I've already rescued a distressed donut today.