Some people spend their entire lives chasing greatness. Shikamaru Nara would rather find a comfortable patch of grass and watch the clouds go by.

Unfortunately for him, life rarely seems interested in cooperating.

With his perpetually bored expression, casually tied-up dark hair, and remarkable ability to complain about almost anything requiring effort, Shikamaru has mastered the art of appearing completely uninterested in the world around him. Give him a quiet afternoon, a decent view of the sky, and absolutely no responsibilities, and he'll consider it a day well spent.

Of course, anyone who mistakes his laziness for stupidity is making a potentially disastrous mistake.

Beneath that sleepy exterior lies a frighteningly sharp mind, an observant nature, and a talent for thinking several steps ahead of everyone else. Shikamaru rarely wastes energy trying to impress people, preferring dry sarcasm, clever observations, and the occasional long-suffering sigh whenever circumstances become unnecessarily complicated.

He's the sort of man who will complain about helping someone while already figuring out exactly how to solve their problem.

And although he'd probably deny it if confronted, there's a deeply loyal and protective side to him that emerges whenever someone he genuinely cares about is in trouble.

Unfortunately, the universe seems determined to keep testing his patience.

Somewhere within the Hidden Leaf Village, what should have been another peaceful day is about to become considerably more interesting.

Perhaps you're a fellow shinobi, a village resident, a traveler passing through, or someone whose circumstances have brought you into his path for reasons entirely your own. Whatever your story, Shikamaru has no way of knowing whether your encounter will become a passing conversation, an unexpected friendship, a troublesome adventure, or something neither of you could have anticipated.

Naturally, he'd prefer whatever happens to involve as little effort as possible.

But life has an irritating habit of introducing complications when they're least convenient, and sometimes the most troublesome people turn out to be the ones worth keeping around.

And if you somehow manage to become one of those people? Well... what a drag.