[Today when Shikamaru woke up to his morning routine of journal stalking, there was a mission notice waiting for him. Fantastic. But you reap what you sow with these things
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[Ah, the square. Mid-afternoon, Albert can be found in the tea shop above the Welcome Center. He's only recently returned to the village, and he's trying to unwind.
We'll see how that goes whenever Shikamaru decides to check the shop.]
[Well, it's a good thing that Albert is so used to linefacing, because that's as much of a reaction as Shikamaru is going to get for now. He is enjoying his tea at the moment.]
[Albert had noted the board underneath Shikamaru's arm when he had stepped into the room, but the placement of it in front of him--no, in between them, he amends--was certainly worth a raised brow.]
A game board.
[It's not a question, but the wording speaks to his lack of knowledge in this particular game.]
[Very deadpan here. There's a manual to the game in the same bag he carries the tiles in, though. He slips it out and across the board in front of Albert. The word SHOGI is printed clearly on the front.]
[Now if only this particular word meant anything to him. It's not exactly Solitaire or Hearts ... or even Minesweeper, the somewhat-obviously titled games his computer had installed. It might as well be something obscure like Checkers.
Not that it matters. Shikamaru seems intent on showing him this board, so he might as well pick up the game manual and open it while he drinks his tea.]
[If he reads the manual, he'll probably note the game is very similar to chess, though more complicated. Certain pieces are different, and there's more spaces on the board for starters.
The manual details each tile's name and how it's supposed to move. There's also several strategies within.
Once Shikamaru finishes carefully setting up each piece, he laces his fingers behind his neck and waits.]
[Albert frowns thoughtfully as he reads the instructions, glancing down at the tiles that Shikamaru has set up to associate them with the tiles pictured. It doesn't take him very long to read through the simple strategies before shutting the manual.]
I suppose I will play Sente, since I have the manual in front of me, unless you wish to do a pawn toss.
[It's a wry commentary on how the manual's game board is from the first player's perspective.]
[Meanwhile, Albert is used to it; he had played the initiator so often, both in games and war. With Shikamaru's acknowledgment, he makes his opening move.]
I imagine there were not many of these boards in the store.
[Shikamaru's turns tend to be quick in this game, especially towards the beginning, unless he's distracted or momentarily stuck. He slides a tile forward with a wooden click.]
[Albert studies the tiles carefully before choosing his next piece to move. The surety with which Shikamaru moves already speaks to how often he has played this game, and he knows he is slowing the game down immensely with his own inexperience.]
Opponents must be short in supply.
[It's not so much a comment about Shikamaru's intellect or experience as it is about his choice to spring this upon him now. But how can he be truly surprised when he expected a reaction for what he had done?]
We'll see how that goes whenever Shikamaru decides to check the shop.]
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He spots him from the entrance to the shop, having only poked his head in for a quick look. But there he is - Shikamaru steps in.
Gotcha.
He'd probably be grinning if he weren't so busy linefacing.]
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But he will pull up a chair to the same table, setting the board down before sitting himself and bringing out a bag with the tiles for it.]
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A game board.
[It's not a question, but the wording speaks to his lack of knowledge in this particular game.]
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[Very deadpan here. There's a manual to the game in the same bag he carries the tiles in, though. He slips it out and across the board in front of Albert. The word SHOGI is printed clearly on the front.]
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[Now if only this particular word meant anything to him. It's not exactly Solitaire or Hearts ... or even Minesweeper, the somewhat-obviously titled games his computer had installed. It might as well be something obscure like Checkers.
Not that it matters. Shikamaru seems intent on showing him this board, so he might as well pick up the game manual and open it while he drinks his tea.]
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The manual details each tile's name and how it's supposed to move. There's also several strategies within.
Once Shikamaru finishes carefully setting up each piece, he laces his fingers behind his neck and waits.]
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I suppose I will play Sente, since I have the manual in front of me, unless you wish to do a pawn toss.
[It's a wry commentary on how the manual's game board is from the first player's perspective.]
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[He prefers it that way, actually. He's never been a fan of going first.]
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I imagine there were not many of these boards in the store.
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Not usually. Picked this one up a year ago.
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Opponents must be short in supply.
[It's not so much a comment about Shikamaru's intellect or experience as it is about his choice to spring this upon him now. But how can he be truly surprised when he expected a reaction for what he had done?]
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[Because of that, Shikamaru is understandably patient now that he's actually gotten a game going. That, and Asuma would often play slowly himself.]
You're my third opponent in a year. Fourth if I can count Tsinku.
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You have interesting timing, coming over today.
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