There's no motivation

[number_one_coward]

Characters: Nara Shikamaru and OPEN
When: April 11th
Where: Some vague spot in Nesreca that isn't the apartment building. >_>
Rating: PG for possible coarse language.
Summary: Another shinobi arrives and isn't ready to risk the network yet. Help him out?


Shikamaru blinked warily at his surroundings, crouched nervously inside the entrance of a crumbling building, fingers gripping tight to the odd device he’d found stowed away in his pocket. He figured it had to be some sort of communication device, taking the buttons and hole-placements into account, but there was no way he was going to fiddle with unfamiliar equipment just yet. Not when he had no idea who might answer his call.

Because this wasn’t right. This wasn’t Konoha. Not by a long shot.

He’d been walking through the the village, intent on what promised to be an impressive lunch at the Akimichi compound, and then suddenly he was here. Stranded in a decimated city, the ruins of which didn’t resemble Konoha (or any other place he could think of) in the slightest... which he supposed should have been something of a comfort, but the abrupt change in location was doing little to help along such reasonable thinking. Clenched fingers and the quiet mutter of “Kai!” had done nothing to set his situation right, and now he was left with only the desolate landscape stretching out before him and the panicked flurry of his own thoughts.

What was this? Just a dream? It seemed so real, the light spattering of rain against his skin and the sound of gravel crunching beneath his sandals. Was he... going crazy? No, there was no need for that. He had to calm down. He wasn’t dreaming and he wasn’t in Konoha, but as long as he kept thinking rationally, he could find an explanation.

Poking his head out from his impromptu hiding place, he carefully started to edge his way outside, eyes wide and taking in everything even as he reached out hesitantly with his chakra, feeling for any signs of life. Part of him was tempted to try and wait this out. To keep out of sight until he could get his bearings, but if someone had meant to get the drop on him? They would have already.

Comments

[bluedemonflames]

[Out to search the city for anything that could be used in kitchen construction, Rin and Kuro picked their way through the rubble. It wasn't turning out to be a very profitable day. Still the pair continued on and thanks to Kuro's keen eyes found a fork amongst the debris. It was a little bent, but nothing that couldn't be worked with. Straightening up from behind a wall with a big smile on his face Rin held it up to the light to admire it.]

Nice goin' Kuro!

[Mewing proudly, Kuro jumped up onto Rin's shoulder and at once the pair finally noticed the boy slinking out of the shadows. Two sets of eyes are now directed his way, staring.]

[counterintel]

Scouting. That was what he had spent a lot of time doing. Getting a feel for the environment, trying to work out how he felt about being here, about everything he knew from Sasuke.

Mostly, it was just to get a feel for the place. If Sasuke had been here for two years like he said than he imagined, and supposed that it was likely he would be here for a stretch, too.

Alertness was something he never lacked, though, which was precisely the reason he knew Shikamaru was where he was before he started to move out from the building's doorway, arching his eyebrow. That was a Konoha forehead protector...

Not of someone he knew though, which bothered him. He looked about his age, but he knew most the ninja in the village, and that was someone he did not know. He was left, just watching, silently, still.

[shunshinoshishi]

Not knowing where you were always put a shinobi at a disadvantage. Even if it wasn't your element, it would be wise to get to know the place; there's bound to be something you could use to your advantage. At least, that is what Shisui was doing: getting a feel for the land. He was hopping about from branch to branch of whatever tree he found. The place was pretty barren anyway, most definitely a ghost town. But it wouldn't hurt to scout around.

...Which is when Shisui notices the chakra, stilling immediately. It didn't feel like either Itachi's or Sasuke's.

So, there was somebody else here from their world.

Crouching on a branch and watching the kid - who seemed no more than two or three years his junior? - Shisui smirks, responding with an equally cautious burst of chakra in Shikamaru's direction.

[pencilpremonition]

Nearby and not even trying to hide, a girl is sitting on a pile of rubble. She has a notebook spread across her lap, and she's quietly sketching the desolate scenery around her. Becca's tired of being here, and on edge because her powers are missing. Still, she's trying to make the best of it, and trying to keep herself sane.

She didn't even realise she wasn't alone. She was so used to relying on her powers to warn her of any potential surprises, she'd let herself get absorbed in her drawing. Feasibly speaking, he could come right up behind her and she wouldn't notice until his shadow fell across her page.

[Anything on her profile is fair game to suss out about her based on body language and mannerisms.]