Playing With Puppets

Chika's Return!

Shikamaru was not a happy sailor. It was a warm evening, training with Team 10, and Ino was rampaging and raving just because he had let it slip that maybe Sasuke Uchiha wasn't as good as people said he was. It didn't help that Chouji was stuffing his face with potato chips and was staying out of the situation completely.

"My Sasuke-kun just so happens to be the BEST Genin out there. It's just a cruel fate that Billboard Brow is on his team." Ino declared, pointing at Shikamaru accusingly, "And you can't say otherwise!"

"Oh man," muttered Shikamaru, "I had to open my mouth, didn't I?" Chouji looked at him sympathetically, and offered him a chip, which he gladly took.

Asuma was leaning against the fence, keeping a flock of sheep put on the hill they were resting on. It was almost sunset, a signal to go home. Taking a drag from his cigarette , he inquired.

"Shikamaru, you have an older sister, don't you?"

This came as a surprise to Shikamaru. Not many people knew about Chika. Well, none of the Genin, anyway.

"Yeah, Chika Nara, she's older by two years. Why do you want to know?" Shikamaru laid back on the grassy mound of earth. Ah, Ino had shut up, peace at last.

"She's not a ninja, no?"

"Nah, she took after the deer farm, and trained the deer, and stuff. She never had time to be a ninja, Mom was always at her."

"Oh. And what happened?"

Shikamaru opened one eye and looked at the clouds, tainted red. Ino and Chouji were listening now, Asuma looked into the distance.

"She left. With two deer, and a bag full of stuff. Said she had enough ofbeing kept at the farm, and wanted to see the world."

" I see. And you say she had two deer?"

"Mm. A two stags, called Horu and Haru."

He had both eyes closed and an image of Chika appeared in his mind. She was tall, like his Dad, and had the trademark Nara ponytail, spiked and a dark brown. Her eyes were grey, but wider and more feminine. She was wild, and rough, able to take anything on the chin. She was careful with the deer, though, especially the foals. Chika was always the cool kid, to Shikamaru. Both were too easy going to fight and argue, but they did a lot of cloud watching in their days.

"Ah yes, young Chika. I remember her well now. She was one of the first people to beat me at Shogi." Asuma smiled. "Of course she was a deliberate cheat, and an awful player, but…"

"Awful player? Really Sensei, you should have more respect to your peers." A familiar voice scolded. No, it couldn't be…

Shikamaru opened his eyes, and sat up abruptly. Standing tall, with hands on her hips, and an eyebrow cocked up, was his big sister Chika Nara.

"Chika?" Chouji exclaimed, dropping his bag of chips. "We were just talking about you.."

"Yeah, I know. I've been listening for a while now." Chika grinned, scratching the back of her head. "Surprise!"

"What have you been doing, spying or something?" Ino demanded, pointing accusingly at the older Nara.

"Nice to see you too, Ino." Chika said dryly. "Well, Shika, you're the only one who hasn't said anything yet, are ya happy to see me?"

Shikamaru was ataken back. His older sister had just appeared out of nowhere, after two years of leaving the village, without an explanation. For the first time in his life he was speechless.

Until…

"Mom's going to kill you."

"Gee Shikamaru, don't get excited." Chika said. Asuma laughed, lighting a cancer stick.

"Shikamaru isn't the motivated type, Chika."

"Oh I know, I thought you would've done him some good, Asuma-sensei." Chika smiled. Then she told Shikamaru,

"Mom still isn't angry, is she?"

Shikamaru sighed, clearly expecting the question. "Let me tell you something, Chika. Not only has she told me a million times, what a bad example you are, but she made a list of the punishments she was going to put into action when you came home."

"That bad, hmm?" Chika scratched her cheek. "Not to worry, I'll stay here for a while."

She turned to Chouji and Shikamaru. "God you've gotten tall. I remember when you were ten years old and up to my elbows. Especially you Chouji, you were always really short."

Chouji flushed red, and Shikamaru gave his sister a push. She just laughed in reply. Her laugh was just like his father's, a low echoing sound.

"Where have you been Chika?" Ino asks, a little more gentle tone, as if to apologize.

Chika looked up at the sky, and smiled. "I've been everywhere at this rate. I've learnt the tricks and secrets of many lands, and I've developed a very unique technique."

"Hmm? Not a battle skill?" Asuma questioned. Chika shook her head.

"No, I suppose it's more for recording events and whatnot.."

"I see." Asuma averted his eyes, as the three children proceeded to question the older girl. Chika Nara was a smart girl. Simply to put it. She was no good at strategy, but could con a blind man of his walking stick, with a few words. No doubt, she was the opposite of Shikamaru. Chika Nara was a cheat, and could gather a bookful of information about a person with a glance.

"Chika." Shikamaru stood up, and brushed the dirt off of his pants. It had been just over an hour, and the sun had set, the sky beginning to get dark.

"It's time we went home. Mom will be crazy mad if I'm not home by curfew."

Chika's face was starting to look worried, but then she broke into a smile as an idea popped into her head. "Hey Asuma, you know the way you said I was always welcome.."

"Not a chance, Chika." Asuma told the girl stubbornly. "You're not afraid of your mother, are you?"

Chika staggered a little, and stuttered, "O-of course not, Asuma-sensei, I'm no coward! Come on Shika, let's get this show on the road!"

And with that, she strode to the bottom of the hill, to where her deer grazed.

"Shika, Dad's not angry with me, is he?" Chika was worried now, that was evident, Shikamaru had thought. Chika had the deer steadied, and knelt on the ground, so Shikamaru could mount the tall animal.

"Worried, wouldn't be the word I'd use. As a matter of fact, he's on your side." Shikamaru told her, as she climbed onto the other deer, and cantered on to the direction of her home. Shikamaru followed closely behind her.

"We'll deal with that later," Chika said. After a short silence, her mouth curved into a smirk. "So, how's life been?"

"A drag." Shikamaru answered truthfully. He received a glare, and changed in his tracks.

"I forgot you're a newly announced Genin." Chika nodded. "Congrats."

"I wouldn't say newly announced." Shikamaru contradicted, "I've been on Team Ten a year now."

"Ah. Any competition?"

"You know I don't like to fight. Well, Sasuke Uchiha's been the talk of the town." Shikamaru decided, "He, Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki are the first team to ever pass Kakashi Hatake."

"Kakashi Hatake?" Chika whistled, "They scored well."

Shikamaru nodded, then slyly asked his sister. "So Chika, where have you really been?"

Trying to catch Chika by surprise, he smiled slightly. However, almost nothing could catch Chika out.

"I informed you a short while ago, Shikamaru, I have been unraveling secrets of many foreign lands." Shikamaru sighed. When Chika spoke like that, she intimidated most people, and you couldn't make her give anything away.

They rode in silence, until they came upon their home. Dismounting the deer, Chika commented. "The place hasn't changed much."

"You've been gone two years, not two centuries." Shikamaru reminded her, as he lead the deer into the field behind the rolled her eyes.

"Chika, expect the worst." Shikamaru warned, as he went to turn the doorknob. It twisted itself and the door flew open. Standing before them, was the fearsome Mrs. Nara, her face twisted into a look of fury.

"Well," She thundered, looking at Chika. "What do you have to say for yourself?"