A/N: I DON"T OWN NARUTO.
SHOGI
Chapter 1 The First Move
It was just another ordinary day in Konoha. Shikamaru, along with Chouji, were walking their way to the BBQ shop nearby until a piece of paper flew in front of Shikamaru's face.
"What the--" Shikamaru mumbled as he removed the paper out of his face. "What's this?"
"Hey!" Chouji said as he read the paper. "Konoha's finally having a Shogi contest!"
"A what?" Shikamaru asked as he also read the paper.
"A Shogi contest." Chouji repeated. "You know, the board game you and teacher Asuma play all the time."
"Oh, right." Shikamaru nodded.
Then, he continued reading the paper. This is what was written on it:
COME AND WITNESS THE TRUE MEANING OF SHOGI!!
JOIN THE FIRST EVER:
KONOHA SHOGI CONTEST
OPEN FOR AGES 12-15
TOMORROW AT 1:30 PM
PRIZE: 10,000 YEN FOR EACH OF THE WINNERS OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS DIVISION
APPROACH THE OFFICE OF THE FIFTH HOKAGE FOR FURTHER DETAILS
MISS THIS EVENT AND YOU'LL MISS A NEW ERA OF YOUR LIFE.
JOIN NOW!
"What did those Konoha officials have eaten to facilitate a contest like that?" Shikamaru said as he gave the paper to Chouji. "That contest is just a waste of time."
"Aren't you interested, Shikamaru?" Chouji asked him. "Didn't I just say that it was a Shogi contest?"
"Not really." Shikamaru told him. "I'd rather watch the clouds."
"But you're good at Shogi!" Chouji cried out, not believing his friend. "You've got a great chance to win the prize of ten thousand yen!"
"Chouji, I'm not interested." Shikamaru glared at him. "Let's go to the BBQ store now. I'm starving!"
"Yeah," Chouji agreed as he followed him. "Me too!"
As soon as the two friends reached the BBQ shop, Chouji felt that he has to convince his friend in joining the competition. He knew his friend needed the prize. He just has to make the perfect scheme in making him join. If only he knew what to do.
"What would you boys have for today?" the cook asked them.
"I would like to have a pork barbeque." Chouji said.
"And I'll have the Yankiku please." Shikamaru added.
"A pork barbeque and Yankiku coming right up!" the cook yelled as he rushed to the kitchen.
As soon as the cook left, Chouji decided to talk to his friend about what happened a while ago.
"Shikamaru, are you sure you don't want to join?" Chouji asked again.
"I'm sure, Chouji." Shikamaru told him. "Besides, tomorrow's a good day for cloud watching. I wouldn't want to miss it."
"Life's not always about cloud watching." Chouji said. "Sometimes, you've got to get up to see what's in store for you."
"I know." Shikamaru nodded. "But I got other plans to do with my life and none of them is to join that contest."
"But--" Chouji stuttered.
"Enough of that!" Shikamaru cut his sentence. "The cook's coming."
"Here you go!" the cook said as he gave their orders. "A pork barbeque for the healthy kid and a Yankiku for the ponytailed boy."
"Thanks!" the two friends said as they were about to feast on their meals.
"Oops! Wait a minute there, fellas!" the cook stopped them. "You've got to pay first. The pork barbeque costs 57 yen and the Yankiku costs 100 yen."
"What!?" Shikamaru shrieked. "100 yen!?"
"It's Korean barbeque, kid!" the cook told him. "What do you expect?"
"Darn," Shikamaru mumbled. "All I have is 85 yen."
"I'll pay that for you." Chouji told him. "But you have to join the contest to pay me back."
"What? No way!" Shikamaru shook his head.
"So you're doing their dishes to pay them back?" Chouji said as he handed his payment. "Fine, suit yourself."
"Wait!" Shikamaru stopped him. "Fine, I'll join the contest. Just pay my food so that I won't owe them a thing."
"Just as I thought you said." Chouji snickered as he paid both of their meals.
As soon as they finished eating, they went straight to the Fifth Hokage's office to register. While they were walking…
"I don't get you, Chouji." Shikamaru told him. "Why do you want me to join in the first place?"
"It's for your own good, buddy!" Chouji said. "Just trust me, okay?"
"Whatever." Shikamaru shrugged. "All I see is that tomorrow will be very troublesome for me."
"Is there even a day not troublesome for you, eh Shikamaru?" Chouji shook his head as he gave a look at him. "You tell me that all the time."
Shikamaru just placed his hands in his pockets and said nothing, pretending he didn't hear Chouji.
"Let's just go to Master Tsunade's office." Shikamaru muttered. "Before I change my mind of paying you back, Chouji."
Once they reached the office of the Fifth Hokage, they went inside to see Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage herself.
"Shikamaru! Chouji!" Tsunade greeted them. "Come in!"
"Good day, Master Tsunade!" they bowed.
"What brings you here?" Tsunade asked. "If you're looking for missions, there aren't any yet. Almost everyone's pretty busy with the Shogi contest."
"Shikamaru here wants to join the contest, Master Tsunade!" Chouji said as he pushed his friend in front of the Fifth. "He is pretty good in that game. Did I mention that he would always beat teacher Asuma everytime they would play it?"
"I see." Tsunade nodded as she gave Shikamaru the registration form. "Just write your name and sign."
Shikamaru did as what she said. He read all the other contestants' names. He was surprised by the numerous people who would like to participate.
"All of you boys are joining as well, Shikamaru." Tsunade told him as she got the form. "Except Chouji, that is."
"Who signed in for the girls division, Master Tsunade?" Shikamaru asked.
"Hmm…" Tsunade mumbled as she flipped the papers to find the girls' registration form. "Ahh, here it is! It seems like Sakura's joining and as well as Ino and Tenten. In your batch, I guess Chouji and Hinata are the only ones who aren't joining."
"It seems like almost everyone's joining, Shikamaru." Chouji said. "You'd better be good."
"Yeah," Shikamaru nodded. Then, he turned to Tsunade. "See you at the contest, Master Tsunade."
"You too!" Tsunade said. "Good luck, Shikamaru."
"Thank you, Master Tsunade." Shikamaru bowed as they left.
As soon as they left the office, they decided to go to the meadows. The minute they got there, they saw Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Sai sitting on the grass and playing Shogi.
"Hey!" Naruto shouted as he waved at the newcomers. "Look who just came by."
"You guys playing Shogi?" Chouji asked.
"I never see you four playing that game before." Shikamaru said.
"That's because we're practicing, genius." Naruto glared at them. "You got a problem with that?"
"It just happens that it isn't our pastime." Sai added as he smiled. "This time, we're all playing serious to beat the heck out of you."
"Yeah!" Naruto stood up. "Go tell him, Sai!"
"You're not the only person who's good at Shogi…" Sai continued. Then suddenly, he changed his voice into a high pitched one, resembling a girl's voice. "…SHIKAKUN!!"
Hearing that, everyone laughed. Except Shikamaru.
"Stop calling me Shikakun!!" Shikamaru fumed in anger. "The name's Shikamaru!!"
Out of nowhere, Tenten appeared, running to her friends. It seems like she has something good to say.
"Hey y'all!" Tenten yelled. "Hinata's finally joining the contest!"
"Hinata?" Shikamaru muttered.
"Alright, Hinata!" Naruto cheered. "I'm so glad she finally decided to join!"
"And I heard that she's pretty good." Tenten added. "Whenever she plays Shogi with Neji, she always wins. And Neji's a very good Shogi player as well."
"Really?" Sakura gasped. "Well, I guess it's not easy to win with Hinata in the game now."
"Beating Neji in Shogi is the same as beating Shikakun." Sai said.
"What did you just call me!?" Shikamaru glared.
"Stop it, you two!" Sasuke told them. "We're here to practice, not fight."
"We're leaving, anyway." Shikamaru told them as he pulled Choji by his side. "I'll just see you at the contest tomorrow."
The two friends rushed to the other side of the meadows and went cloud watching.
"You're not practicing despite of all the pressure?" Chouji asked him. "You must be very confident."
"I never wanted to join in the first place." Shikamaru reminded him. "I'm only joining to pay you."
"Well, you've got to win to get the money." Chouji told him. "It's the only way."
"I must admit," Shikamaru said as he looked at the sky. "Neji is a very strategic person."
"I agree." Chouji nodded. "It's unbelievable that Hinata could actually beat him in Shogi."
"Hinata must be good to beat someone as smart as Neji." Shikamaru said.
"I think you should practice with her." Chouji suggested. "If you can beat her, you'll beat Neji as well."
"I'm sure Hinata's training with Neji right now." Shikamaru told him. "The Hyuuga clan must be very eager to win the contest."
"Let's just check out what she's doing." Chouji said. "If she's busy doing something else, then we'll be going."
"Okay," Shikamaru agreed as he stood up. "I guess a visit wouldn't hurt."
