Shika-Saku-OOC

[Genkai]

IC Title will likely be better upon plotting here.

Okay so you're cool with being Shikamaru, I'll take the role of Sakura. Should I need to be any side characters, I'm fine with that.

There some various ways we could do this:

Start in the Academy and build up a friendship and then follow some of the canon events to a later point after some drama has settled.

Start after Naruto and Sasuke leave, using the timeskip itself.

Start after Naruto returns, with the possibility of moving Shikamaru to Sakura and Naruto's team under Yamato's command (in Sai's place).

Start in something more AU with perhaps an early death of a main canon character (Asuma, Sasuke, Naruto, Ino, anyone really)

Any thoughts you have?

[Toruun]

I'll be playing Shikamaru then! Excellent, muahahaha. *Ahem* But anyways, I'd also be fine with playing a variety of side characters if, and probably when, necessary.

There are a couple plot ideas that I had in mind, but they'd depend on the type of mood you're looking for.

For a more light hearted adventure, with plenty of goofiness and fluffy romance, I think starting young would be the way to go. Canon gets pretty dramatic later on, so this would let us develop the characters with more slice-of-life type of interaction in a stable environment. If we'd like to be more original and deviate from Canon, perhaps starting in an alternate universe would be a fun idea too! For that, I assume events directly related to the characters would be changed: a differing Kyuubi Incident, for example.

The other option would be the dark, stressful, and desire-oriented relationship of older characters, probably around the timeskip area or after. It'd mean a lot of desires, pain, mutual comfort, all that. I'd think this would be more about the developing interaction between two, hurt characters. For a starting point, around the time of the Fourth War, or after could be nice. Again, alternate universes are also plausible.

Obviously there are alternatives between the middle of the extremes, but going off the high-end is far more impactful, at least from what I've observed. Honestly, I'm a little tired of the dark storylines, and would love to do a nice, warm, fluffy pairing, but I'll leave you the final decision. I'm not incapable of a more negative plot, and am pretty confident I could do it well, but the same could be said for positive stories. I'll leave this up to you.

Canon's also great and all, but I think exploring an alternate universe could be exciting too! The only difficulty is that we'd have no reference and would have to make up a lot, but that's half the fun, right?

[Genkai]

Awesome. And was that a Sasuke or Orochimaru styled manic laugh by chance? ^^;

A complete AU premise is hard, in my experience, it can intimidate people if they don't have a clear direction. Casting aside the familiar (almost the point of fandom-canon roleplays) to go into something new can be rough. I haven't had a real positive experience when I've done a lot of AU meddling when canons are put into a whole new world, for example or altered too much. That isn't to say I don't mind tweaking events or certain details but I think to have a better chance at success, it might be better to not try anything drastically AU unless either of us had an idea that the other was 100% on board with.

-clears throat-

Now, I do enjoy slice of life and starting at the Academy with them fumbling through school on the cusp of graduation, is something I tend to run with because school projects and studying are a great way to break the ice without overstepping anything. I would say that we could either take time to foster a friendship as they get to know one another and then bring in some canon events as filler. Either acting out brief moments of the Exams, for example or skipping to any kind of downtime where they can rekindle their friendship while dealing with their Team's drama and such. Or we could go a more AU route and switch the Teams up and have Shikamaru take Naruto or Sasuke's place in Team Seven. Or have Sakura take Choji or Ino's place in Team Ten. Then we could outline some more events and missions in these new teams along with other interactions with side characters.

I'm fine either way, each route does pose their own "In character" challenges we can monkey around with.

Then of course once things do settle down after say, the Chunin Exams (depending if we want to change who did pass and who didn't) we could have some more drama, more action, something more shocking/negative occur.

Another thing I should mention is their age. They're terribly young (like most anime/manga characters) and I would be a bit more comfortable if we did "up" their ages a bit even at the start of their remaining days as students under Iruka. It just seems a bit weird to play as people so young in such situations, even if it's just light fighting and friendship then...

[Toruun]

Now, when I mean AU, I don't particularly mean I want to drastically alter the Canon world. Really, it's more along the lines of what you said, with a minor change that had larger consequences overall.

The Academy is a great place to start, with all the daily routines exercised during its reign. Studying, testing, lazing around(for Shikamaru), hanging out-- these are all the best places to slowly develop a beginning friendship. From there, moving on to Genin missions and the Chunin Exams can give us some excellent backdrop for conflicts, both between them and against others.

We could also skew the ages as an alternate twist, perhaps starting them at fourteen or fifteen upon graduation? It'd mean more learning experiences for the characters, and a lot more time to mature before we get into the serious bits.

Depending on how you like it, we could switch up the pace a bit, but I prefer a slower, fleshed out origins/prologue before we move into the actual Canon sections after graduation. I think starting off very early on, around three to six would be a great help for settling into the alternate character setting between Shikamaru and Sakura. I don't mean that we should spend entire weeks on this alone, but a few posts summarizing key events and interactions could help out in the long run as a set-up for the 'Academy Days'.

After that, the Team organization is very flexible. Perhaps Shikamaru and Sakura could end up on either one of their teams, or we could end up with a mish-mash. There's a lot more options with the structure than that, of course. A few possibilities I can think off are:

Shikamaru, Sakura, and an OC character.

Shikamaru replacing either Naruto or Sasuke on Team 7.

Sakura replacing Ino on Team 10.

Shikamaru, Sakura, and another Canon character.

Both are placed on their Canon teams, or alternate teams that're mixed up more.

Either Shikamaru or Sakura aren't on a team, and are instead apprenticed to another Shinobi.

Those are just some ideas off the top of my head, so I'm sure there's plenty more awesome things you could come up with.

As you might've expected, I'd also like the Genin stages to focus a lot on their developing interactions. Depending on what and how things occur, maybe a romance could start around the timeskip when Naruto leaves? Or after the Chunin exams at least. I'm not particularly keen on planning too far after that yet, not until the bare basics of the world are set down.

Besides that, it'd be fun to have additional love interests in side characters, to form dramas, unrequited loves, whatever. The Sasuke crush thing, for example, or Naruto's attempts at earning Sakura's love with his buddy, Shikamaru.

---Updated---

Awesome. And was that a Sasuke or Orochimaru styled manic laugh by chance? ^^;

Of course, the psychomania knows no bounds!

[Genkai]

I believe starting their graduation into Genin Teams at age 14 would be fine, if we consider by "timeskip" they would be roughly 16 or so.

I don't mind starting with them as young as six or so, though if we did change the ages they join the Academy, we'd have to take that into account. If they graduate at age 14 and started at age six, that's about eight years in school when I had assumed it would be only three, perhaps four at the most. So they would probably have to be ten or so at the start of the roleplay for a few posts back and forth for the sake of introductions and first impressions.

I don't mind OCs coming in as temporary characters, though to apply one to a Team when there's already several canons we could add for drama (and due to any history they share with Shikamaru or Sakura) seems like a choice I'd avoid. The idea that they'd both be trained under a shinobi is an interesting idea, though it see it perhaps happening later on if say both people make in into the finals of the Exams, then I can see them training together (if they did both make it to the finals, they could even be facing one another but that is a ways down the road).

Since it could be hard to figure out what team we'd want, I'll try to outline my general ideas behind some of them.

Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto & Shikamaru, Choji and Ino (Keeping it canon) - Shikamaru and Sakura could still attempt to meet up outside of missions while dealing with their feelings toward certain teammates. There's the Naruto likes Sakura who like Sasuke issue. And the Shikamaru and Choji are bffs with Ino kind of flirting with a few shinobi for fun. (though IMO, she never really had a thing for Shikamaru, it depends if you'd want to fiddle with that)

Sakura, Sasuke and Shikamaru - Sakura would still be dealing with her crush on Sasuke while trying to maintain a friendly relationship with Shikamaru. Might slowly see the contrasts in personalities between the guys.

Sakura, Naruto and Shikamaru - Naruto and Shikamaru and Sakura would probably get along fairly well as a team. I'm sure Naruto would make some quips about how amazing Sakura is which might help any sort of "crushes" develop. Of course this is the beginning teenage awkward feeling stage so nothing is set in stone.

Sakura, Ino and Shikamaru - This probably has the biggest chance for drama if we did play up Sakura and Ino's rivalry and her (feelings?) thoughts on Shikamaru. Then there'd be the constant back and forth about Sasuke being so cool...I think Shikamaru would kill himself. Hmm.

Shikamaru, Naruto and Sasuke & Sakura, Ino and Choji - A way to the boys all together, same reasoning applies to the canon idea. Naruto and Sasuke could both be voices in Shikamaru's ear. One enjoys Sakura, the other is clearly indifferent while Ino and Sakura deal with their own drama along with poor Choji.

Shikamaru, Choji and Sakura & Ino, Naruto and Sasuke - Just swap Ino for Sakura who probably would cling to Sasuke like glue and pretty much be indifferent about the loud "other" blond in the group while I could see Shikamaru, Choji and Sakura having an okay dynamic.

As far as any romantics are concerned, crushes can be developed, fade away, come back. I do intend for Sakura to get over her thing with Sasuke during the timeskip era. Or to at least accept that she and Sasuke are just friends at best, though this may be hurried if she and Sasuke aren't on the same team which could then diminish her little crush on him. Of course if neither Sakura nor Ino were put with Sasuke, that might help even more since I'm sure if Ino got Sasuke, she wouldn't let Sakura forget about it. If Shikamaru and Sakura do develop "something" around the Exams or after Naruto and or Sasuke leave Konoha, it's possible it would depend on certain circumstances and if something did happen, there's no reason for it to turn into something huge.

After all, they could easily try dating and then go back to focusing on training or something, the idea could still be lingering in the back of their heads.

There is the classic (cliche ish) slice of life situation at Christmas or a party where they could be pushed together and have some kind of innocent kiss. Though since they're young, I'd expect to see some cutesy kind interactions anyway. And you did mention some various ways to get drama with Naruto or Sasuke. I think Naruto or Sasuke could be nice plot devices to use. ^^

[Toruun]

Certainly! I'm going to be off for tonight, but I'll get back to you with my ideas tomorrow.

[Genkai]

Okay. I'll probably be on for another hour or two working on some posts myself. -waves-

[Toruun]

There's plenty of ways to do it, but I think initial separation would be a good idea. Having them on different teams allows for varied bonding for both the characters with their teammates, which could lead to subplot dramas within the teams alone. While that's going on, Shikamaru and Sakura would find probably find their friendship challenged, strengthened, or even both through outside meetings, sharing experiences with a friend not within the team dynamic. It won't allow them to bond as well in battle, but I don't think the Genin stage should really be about that. I feel it should more about hold and growing the bonds between two friends, who struggle to keep up with how their partner is doing. Or perhaps something different, but the gist is that I'd like for them to try and maintain a friendship when they're challenged by the separation of time and space. Sorta like the anime movie 5 Centimeters per Second I suppose, but not quite so dramatic(if you know of it, that is).

Personally, I really like Naruto's character, and sorta want to play him as a side-character. (Or are we the side-characters, since he's the main character? Oh, the complexities of fandom RPs. xD)

Romanticism could be pursued by the characters, but I doubt they'd truly confess to one another until a certain confidence has developed. Either from the realization that they could die any day now, or when they've attained enough relationship wisdom to figure out what to do. I still think this should be after the Genin stage, probably when they're in their late teens, around 16-19ish.

Regarding the later stages, I assume the world conflict thing would start rising up again? If so, Shikamaru and Sakura will probably start working outside of their old teams, moving into combat and battling alongside one another. It's a great place for additional bonds to develop, rising through experiencing the horrors of war together. Still, let's not plan too far ahead. How different the early stages are could affect the later story in any number of ways.

And with the whole Academy thing, we could alter the schooling timeframe? Instead of four years, for example, we could increase it to six. Besides that, it's not necessary for them to first meet at school. They're plenty of opportunities before that, especially in public areas, like the playground. I doubt Shikamaru's family is so high up the totem pole that they'd go to different places than civilians.

One such alternation could be Shikamaru coming in to Sakura's rescue when she's bullied because of her forehead, rather than Naruto.

But anyways, classic slice-of-life doesn't really work out that well in this setting, does it? I imagine a lot more fireballs, sweat, and sharp objects would be involved if we did anything along that path.

[Genkai]

Yes I've seen 5 Centimeters Per Second, it's a wonderful slice of life example that's pretty damn realistic and doesn't need to be show offy or anything, though I found the music and art to be wonderful. Hell, if you did want to use some kind of letter exchange for the two, we could always try something like that, should they keep missing one another at some point (by missing, I mean not being able to meet up face to face due to say missions or training). So I'm guessing then, we'll keep the teams as they are then?

If we adorn "side" characters, I'm fine with being Ino or Sasuke, etc, though it depends based on who is with them. I usually just leave everyone as "sharable" NPCs for people to use in their posts or wait for the other person, depending on the pace of the scene itself.

As far as the "worldly" affairs go, that is sort of what made me stop reading/watching Naruto Shippuden...because it became almost a Nation Styled theme with too much battling so I don't think I'd like to replicate the exact situations unless I can get a better handle on it.

I can see Sakura being a bit of a loner herself, at a young age, it's possible Shikamaru does manage to defend her and she could decide to stick around him for a while. I tend to play her as a studious bookworm type who taps into her confidence a bit later on. I do think this can have slice of life aspects, without putting the element of ninja arts on the back burner.

[Toruun]

I don't mean we should exactly parallel 5 Centimeters Per Second; I added that as an example of having difficulty maintaining a bond. Rather than follow the movie path, I was thinking that they'd be far more successful in meeting up, having scarce, but treasured meetings on occasion. Following the Canon path is an idea, but we can still mix it up if we want to. I'd just like them to be on different teams, if we're going to follow this path during the Genin stage.

It's probably far more convenient to have side characters be freely picked up and used by the players. The only gripe I'd have with that is differing characterizations from different authors, which drops the consistency. I'm sure something will work out.

Now luckily, I know what has happened in Shippuden(After skipping 500+ chapters), so we do have some reference to go off for that. The alternative is to differ from Canon events and develop our own storyline afterwards. Perhaps it'll be more difficult to manage and administrate, but it gives us a lot more freedom to pursue storyline ideas.

The problem with Sakura following around Shikamaru, or his initiative in the first place, is that he's lazy. And noncommittal. He has no particular reason to help out this loner girl. I haven't played Shikamaru before and don't have an official characterization of him, but that's mostly the impression I've got. If it matters to him, he'll do it. Otherwise, he won't. This is one such example where he'd let another person take the initiative, like Choji or Naruto.

If that occurs, here's a possible idea: Sakura first follows around one of the more boisterous or protective characters, developing a friend-of-a-friend relationship with Shikamaru. From there, her focus would eventually shift to him, either through a break-off with her initial companion, or just slowly, over time. Or vice-versa, with Shikamaru taking interest in the girl, only to find that he's not someone she's interested in.

Still, we should probably get something simple and agreeable hammered out. Details are easier to conjure once the story starts flowing.