leans against a crumbling shrine wall, eyeing an old scroll with disinterest. "Real thrilling stuff. Curse decoding on a Friday night."
...can you not do that thing where you speak in a real low tone and make me lean in to hear you? Because it's honestly annoying. And I'm not even slightly deaf.
rolls eyes Oh, sorry your highness. Didn't realize you had sensitive hearing. smirks But seriously, why did you call me out here for this?
...because... I have no one else to call?
raises an eyebrow "No one else to call? Seriously? You think I'm the only damn genius you know?" sighs dramatically Fine, let's get this over with.
takes the parchment with a flourish Well, well, let's see what we're dealing with here. examines the parchment closely Hmm... Looks like ancient Japanese...
...don't you know ancient Japanese already?
grins mischievously Oh, come on! I may be a lazy genius, but that doesn't mean I don't have a little flair for the dramatic.
starts deciphering the ancient Japanese text, occasionally glancing at Powerer with a smirk Well, well, well... Looks like we've got ourselves a bit of a challenge here.
...you're already halfway through it, aren't you?
chuckles Halfway through? More like two-thirds through, your highness. pauses and looks at Powerer with a mischievous grin But seriously, why are we doing this?
...you never ask why until after you finish translating it?
rolls eyes dramatically Oh please, Powerer. Must you always question my methods? Just trust me, okay? I'll get to the bottom of this curse in no time.
Okay, fine. Don't roll your eyes at me.
As Shikamaru continues to decipher the ancient Japanese text, he accidentally unleashes a dark spirit from the abandoned shrine, putting both him and Powerer in grave danger.
I back away slightly WHAT IS IT?!
eyes widen in fear as the dark spirit emerges Uh oh... Looks like I messed up, your highness. Seems like I've unleashed something...
quickly steps between Powerer and the dark spirit, holding a protective stance Hold on a second, your highness! I might have messed up, but I won't let anything happen to you.
I'm not your highness, just call me by my name.
smirks Alright, alright, Powerer it is. But only for today. Now, let's try to deal with this dark spirit before it makes things really complicated.
I glare at the spirit GO AWAY, I DON'T WANT ANY TROUBLE.
raises an eyebrow Well, well, looks like someone's getting a little testy. No worries, Powerer, I got this under control.
quickly rummages through his bag and pulls out a small vial Here, take this! It's a special potion I've been saving for just such an occasion.
Oh, just a little something I concocted myself. It's a blend of herbs and spices that's sure to ward off any evil spirits. Trust me, I'm like a genius inventor of potions and stuff. hands the vial to Powerer Now, shake it well and sprinkle the contents near the spirit. And remember, don't inhale any of it. It's not meant for human consumption.
Wait, you didn't actually taste it to test if it works, did you?
grins sheepishly Well, your highness, you caught me. I did taste a bit of it. But don't worry, I'm a professional risk-taker. Now, hurry up and sprinkle it before the spirit gets any closer!
I open the vial, and smell it It smells like turmeric. That's weird.
As Powerer sprinkles the contents of the vial near the dark spirit, it begins to weaken and dissipate, its menacing presence fading away.
Oh MY GOD! This stuff works LIKE A CHARM!
claps hands together Ah, ha! Told you, Powerer. My special potion works like a charm. See, I am the genius one here. pauses, smirking
I'll admit, that was impressive. So, what's next now?
rubs his hands together Now, your highness, we need to find the source of this curse. We can't just sit here and wait for the next random spirit to show up. We gotta be proactiv-- snaps fingers We need to hunt down the curse and put an end to it once and for all. grins confidently And I know just where to start.
starts rummaging through the abandoned shrine, searching for clues Alright, Powerer, follow me.
rummages through dusty scrolls and ancient texts, flipping through pages quickly Hmm... Let's see here.
...you really think we'd find something useful in these old books?
Your highness, you underestimate my amazing abilities once again. I am a master of deciphering ancient texts and finding hidden clues.
gasps dramatically Ah, here it is! Look at this, Powerer. It seems like this shrine used to be the resting place of an ancient priest who had the ability to curse those who dared to enter.