tsuntrader | Appointments Post

["At least she looks her age! I hear that starfish girl [Fuuko] isn't really human. Come on, she just turned nineteen and she still looks like a kid! Weird..."

Shikamaru slowly swings himself upright, glancing around. He doesn't seem perturbed by the fact that trees are talking. If anything he looks curious. There must be some kind of trick to it, right? Maybe they have mouths...

And it's as he's looking around that he manages to spot that splash of red above.]

[Starfish... Girl? What's a starfish? Is it anything like a...

...He hasn't been spotted, has he?...]

[He looks away. How much trouble will he have getting around in the forest here, he wonders...? In the blink of an eye he disappears.

""You know, that one new Pokemon Trainer is always saying strange things and talking about the "tastes" of Pokemon and stuff. Those other trainers better watch out, it wouldn't surprise me if he was actually a cannibal that likes to cook and eat his own Pokemon!"]

[He listens to the trees speak... Up until Shikamaru outright disappears. That's when he hugs the tree tighter and gets ready to move and react at a moment's notice. Did he overlook anything? What's going to happen? Where's he supposed to go? (You know, Sneasel that would just like to go back home. Why does an experiment have to happen while Silver is little? Why?)]

Edited 2012-08-23 07:21 (UTC)

So there was someone up here.

['Sup Silver, have a voice much closer than the tree gossip, several branches to your right.]

[-And the second he hears Shikamaru, he turns around and jumps over to another branch.] Quick Attack!

[But Silver I- he's- but-- sorry, Shikamaru, he's got no choice but to try to blinding speed over and headbutt you. (He's deliberately moving slower than he could and putting less force into it, though. Move dude, move.) The hesitation and "oh god I'm sorry dude" is still written on his face, though.]

Edited 2012-08-23 19:57 (UTC)

[-what.

Okay, Quick Attack. Linda knows that one. Facts pure and simple: Sneasel should be better at this than her; he's going easy on him. Not that he minds. It makes it hurt less when the impact knocks him back.]

[-or so it would appear. Sneasel might notice a thumbs up as Shikamaru rolls with the motion, as if he took the headbutt right off the branch. Clinging to it like chakra, he makes a handsign and closes his eyes and tries to drown out the chitter of the trees, excited by this flurry of activity.] Kage Mane no Jutsu.

[If that was Sneasel, that kid can't be anyone else but Silver. Up this high, he needs to find him before an accident happens.]

[And Sneasel looks momentarily relieved before returning to Silver's side.

Silver, on the other hand, is making his way up a tree- a high tree with plenty of moving opportunities, plenty of escape routes, plenty of options. He once again tries to remain hidden, but this time instead of trying to avoid conflict at all, he's just waiting for a good opportunity. That's what he's supposed to do, right? This is some other training exercise. Or maybe just someone dangerous...]

[Up. The scraping of shoes is consistent with the motion. Branches here, here... here. Shikamaru's shadow splits, silently trailing over the separate paths.

Focused on this task, he doesn't hear when the trees excitedly identify the boy, and nearly misses the next comment. "That red haired kid would ditch his friends and disappear for years if he had the chance. He wouldn't even bother to call them every now and then. It wouldn't be the first time, either. That's just the kind of guy he is."

Wait -whut.]

[He's not close enough to hear what the trees are whispering about him, but he's close enough to hear that they're talking. Why are they saying all of these things? Do they have any significance?

-No, focus. It's been too long for his liking. He carefully relocates to another branch. Another angle. He's less concerned about speed and more concerned about silence. (Too bad he's dealing with a ninja.)]

[To your credit, Silver, you are the quietest toddler he has met. He will think about that crap the trees are spewing later; he's not even sure if those branches that high are even good to support people. He's getting closer though, he can tell.]

[He's not even three feet tall and weighs a lot less than Sneasel, so he's probably good on those higher branches. In fact, he's using that fact to his advantage as he keeps moving around to try to see if he can figure out where this guy is from a different angle.]

[If he rebounded back the higher he went up, then he might see Shikamaru crouched sideways on the branch. If he kept moving away, he might not be visible.

At least not until the shadow snags him, and Shikamaru wants to be seen, which shouldn't be much longer.]

[It's more of the prior, and he does eventually spot spiky hair guy. So that's where he is. But he's not... Moving. -Alright then, Sneasel, c'mon, let's-

Mo...ve...? Legs, body, get with the program here, we've gotta go--]

[There you are.]

It took some time, but it seems the Kage Mane was finally a success.

[When Shikamaru walks back over the side of the branch, the bind is loose enough that Silver won't mimic his movements. He doesn't want to walk the kid off into open air, obviously.

No matter how hidden he is, however, Shikamaru's eyes somehow manage to pinpoint his exact location at first glance.]

Relax for a second. I have no intention of hurting you, and a fight would be troublesome.

[Oh good, you stopped him. -But not Sneasel. Guess it's time to play along, then. He can't move either, Silver--!

-He's gonna hurt us.

He's gonna hurt us. He's gonna hurt us. Maybe he won't because he could do it at any time and- no, he's just trying to lull him into a false sense of security, right? Right-]

[Why does that line never work as well here as it does back home.

Whatever. He quickly closes the distance, landing on the branch in front of the pair while tuning out the chatter of the trees.]

I know you're scared, but I meant what I said. All I wanna do is help you out of the tree and get you back to the village.

[-Scared-- No. He's not scared. See? He'll even straighten his face out. Totally not scared. And he's not going back there Not with some random guy.]

--do you trust your Pokemon?

[Heee's not responding to that. Nope. Not doing it. Not happening. Yes, yes he does, but he's not letting Shikamaru know that.]

[Har har, joke's on you, he already knows. 8|

Shikamaru holds Silver's gaze for a few short seconds before reaching over to pick something from a pocket on his flak jacket, his hand closed around it.]

This object I hold is very important to me; if anything happened to it I wouldn't forgive myself.

[He opens his palm now, held low so Silver can see it: a silver lighter. Shikamaru meets his eyes once again.]

I'm willing to make a bet on it that if asked, your Pokemon trusts that mean what I say. If I'm wrong, you can take this precious possession from me and I'll leave you alone.

[...Nope. He'd shake his head, but he can't move. He's not taking the bait.]

[He tosses the lighter over the open air - not at Silver, but at Sneasel. It bounces, but still lands on the branch at his feet.]

I'm gonna let him go now [because he caught on to your scheme you] and the two of you can hold onto that while we find a way out. If he doesn't believe me, you get a free shot.

[...It's just a... Metal thing. He must be making it seem more important than it really is.

...But fine. He's still keeping a fair amount of distance, though.]

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