Naruto Primer: Nara Shikamaru
The New Look
Shikamaru is a chuunin now.
Being the only genin to pass the exam, Shikamaru knew that he commanded a certain amount of respect among the others, as well as a certain amount of envy. And, like Chouji, Shikamaru also wanted to change himself. But Shikamaru need not concern himself with weight, more with appearance.
"Hm…" Shikamaru said to himself as he lied down on the grass, watching the clouds go by. "A chuunin should be strong and buff."
He sat up and looked at himself up and down.
"But…that's far too troublesome…" he sighed, lying back down.
What was he supposed to do? He needed to change his look because he had already changed who he was. Hundreds of different things crossed his mind, but he dismissed them one by one as too troublesome.
He needed something that would define him as a new person but also take little effort in doing so. Something that would change him, but someone else would have to take care of all the troublesome aspects of changing oneself. What sort of thing is possibly like that?
"Maybe I need to grow a beard." Said Shikamaru as he put his hand on his chin. After all, that took no effort since that sort of thing happens on its own. In fact, if he grew a beard, it would actually be less troublesome than if he didn't because then he wouldn't have to shave in the morning. However, who knows how long it would take until his hormones finally kicked in and decided to give him a beard? He knew he would get one eventually, because his father had one, but when, he did not know.
"I need something to change me now." Shikamaru decided.
He put his hands behind his head and watched all the clouds. Perhaps if he were to just leave his hair down when he got up in the morning, he would have an entirely new image. And, as a bonus, he would never have to put it up in the morning anymore.
"Then again," Shikamaru said out loud. "Even though not putting my hair up would take away the troublesome act of putting it up, managing it and dealing with it all day being down would just be even more troublesome."
Maybe if he were to simply cut it? Then he would not have to bother putting it up or dealing with it if he didn't put it up. But then he would have to go and get his hair cut. He would have to go and wait in line and pay.
Shikamaru gave another heavy sigh as all the clouds continued to go by.
Why do anything else when he could simply watch the clouds go by?
"Perhaps I will save changing my image for another day." Shikamaru decided. "Another day when I'm not feeling quite so unbearably lazy."