generalflirt | ~♥FORTY-FOUR♥~

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[Shikamaru was on the mission until a few days ago and it rattled him, he could tell. Green's relative showed up recently, but before that they'd been doing a bunch of training... which pushed back his normal training, personal fitness, and ninja stuff with Shikamaru. Gold was gone. He was still trying as he could to avoid Sakura, probably because he still wasn't entirely sure where he stood with her or with ... other parties.

Life was complicated, basically, and he found himself again longing to return to the comparative simplicity of Ikeburkuro. Or maybe just his own ignorance at the time. He thought then that he'd experienced the darkness, and while he didn't want to make light of what happened to Saki or how much the betrayal from Izaya still stung... when it came down to it, he had no idea how dark things could get. None at all. Or so he thought now.

Also, his zappyness had faded from the kidnapping, but Linda's electricity still isn't back up to par. Actually, it's still floundering around... well, frankly, lower than it was when she was born. She was born with a lot of potential, and while she can now pull off the careful stuff they've trained with (Magnet Rise, Flash, etc) she can't even pull off a proper thundershock. He knows she's been looking at the thunderstone in his room more and more, but he can't help but think that would compound the problem. A problem he's been trying until now to keep under wraps as much as possible, for her pride and because of his fear Green'll take her from him over it.

So what was he doing?

Well, him and his Pikachu are getting some exercise. It's not particularly icy today, so they do it outside, running around town and leaping up trashcans and walls to roofs, swinging off lamp posts, and in Linda's case floating some. Basically, parkour/free running as much as is possible in an almost-rural town like this. It's making him miss the urban environment even more, but it does feel nice to show off a little with the stamina and strength which now backs up the balance he's always had. Sure, the both of them mess up now and again, but more often than not (sometimes with some chakra help) they pull off some crazy leaping stunts. What's more, as the day drags on of them doing this, he and his mouse get progressively more in sync as the joy of showing off and doing crazy stuff overrides both of their degrees of shame.

So run into them doing that all over, but mostly centered around the plaza.

That night, he settles in for a meal at Seventh Heaven. He should go home or hang out at the Convenience Store, but he decides he'd rather eat out right now. So him and Linda go in to eat there. He also pulls out his journal and considers something...]

[Written]

So, is anyone planning things for White Day? [Not that he's expecting it, but. There, he's reaching out more]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[...wh--]

Are you saying she's literally headless? [how? are we misunderstanding something here??] That seems like a rather unbelievable taste...

[While he's appreciating that writing makes it harder to get caught off-guard by odd remarks.]

I wasn't trying to.

But either way, I hope you have a happy White Day.

What's that supposed to even mean?! [LALALA-]

[They-! Collide! Though Masaomi pulls her into a hug-grab thing and they twirl in mid-air a moment before touching down]

You eer heard of a Dullahan, Cilan-san?

[Oh nice recovery. Shikamaru smirks and tosses the ball up and catches it a couple times while waiting now.]

Hm...no, I'm afraid I haven't. What are they?

Absolutely nothing!

[And then dislodge, get on their feet, and point dramatically at Shikamaru at the same time!]

Hey, don't be a jerk!

[Pii piiii!]

What do you expect when you keep tossing the ball away from someone like that? You reap what you sow, man.

[Toss, toss.]

There's a sort of headless spirit of death who rides around holding their head in this arms and collects souls before their passing. It's an old legend from Ireland, and that's what they call a "Dullahan."

That ball is ours, don't you look into it like that!

[Yawn.]

Don't make it so troublesome. Here. [Tossing it back now, in an easy underhanded throw.]

[And he catches it, pouting. Come on, you won't even play along? Lame]

[Talking slowly, as if to a small child, and complete with hand motions:]

And then you throw it to Linda...

[Him and Linda look at each other. And the back at Shikamaru. And then back at each other. And then back. And then he tosses it to her and she IRon Tail bats it such that it'll hit Shikamaru]

[WOW, RUDE.

The ball glances good off his head with a(n unfortunately unmanly and) pained yelp, but since he was standing by the edge over here that means it drops off the roof too. Not that Shikamaru notices, as he's crouched down with one hand clutching at the lump on his head.]

Is that so... [Sounds like a headless horseman kind of tale, or like something he'd hear about a ghost Pokemon. But a headless spirit of death is kind of creepy to think about, and if he had been told this story back in Unova, he would have immediately doubted the authenticity of it...mostly due to his fear/denial about spooky supernatural things. But for all he knows, maybe it really is a real legend where Masaomi is from.]

I don't think we have legends about "Dullahans" where I'm from--usually our legends are based on the mythology surrounding rare Pokemon that are considered to have a "legendary" taste above other Pokemon.

[Huffs!]

You never actually told me what White Day is, you know...

[Who cares about the ball, man. The two of them are just going to laugh here. Laughing, so much laughing]

What, there's no headless pokemon to speak of?

It's the day boys pay back the adoration girls show them on Valentines Day.

Argh... [Grumble, grumble, rubbing his head.] You're worse than a woman. It's like male PMS with you!

[They keep laughing a moment longer before Linda perks her ears up and Masaomi dramatically waves a finger] Come now, that was a given!

I hope not. No one wants to see your prancing around in skirts too.

[PURPOSEFULLY OBTUSE.]

Page 13 of 15

~♥FORTY-FOUR♥~

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