Naruto Primer: Kiba/Shikamaru

I Have Your Pawn

Shikamaru was in his favorite thinking spot.  He was watching the clouds and thinking about why the clouds were white, and why they were so free.  Of course, he knew these answers but he chose to ponder about them anyway.

Unfortunately for Shikamaru, his favorite thinking spot was also Kiba's favorite playing with Akamaru spot.

"FETCH AKAMARU!!!" yelled Kiba at what sounded like the top of his lungs.  "GOOD BOY!!!  BRING IT BACK NOW!!  GOOD BOY!!!"

There was a short pause.

"What do you mean it's you're turn to throw?!" Kiba demanded.  "I'm not going to FETCH!  I'm the thrower and YOU'RE the fetcher!!  No, Akamaru, I do not play fetch that way!!  Give me that stick!!  Give it to me!!  Drop it, put it down!!  You can't even throw it!!!"

There was another pause.

"Okay, so maybe you can BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING!!!" Kiba yelled.

"Hey Kiba, shut up!" Shikamaru yelled.

Kiba looked up from his quarrel with Akamaru.  "He started it." he said.

"I don't care." Shikamaru said.  "I'm trying to think and when you're screaming at your dog about who gets to throw the stick next, I can't do the boring stuff I love to do."

"Can't you go somewhere else?" Kiba asked.

"Can't you?" Shikamaru retorted.

"No, this is Akamaru's favorite spot." Kiba replied.

"This is my favorite spot too and I definitely am above a dog." Shikamaru said.

"Don't worry, Akamaru, he didn't mean it." said Kiba.

"So please, could you play with him some other day?" Shikamaru requested.

"No, Akamaru needs his exercise!" Kiba said.  He looked at Akamaru who had started barking.  "I never said you were fat!!  I was just saying that you should be out playing around more!  I didn't say that!  You're putting words in my mouth now!"

Shikamaru groaned and lied down on his back.  "This is troublesome…" he muttered.  "Kiba, can't we come to a compromise?"

"WE want to play." Kiba said.  "So unless you want to play with us too then I don't think there's anything that can be done."

"Play?" Shikamaru said, sitting up.  "Do you know how to play shougi?  I never really got to play against Ino and at this rate, I don't think I will."

"Actually, I am quite skilled at chess." Said Kiba.

"I said shougi."

"Chess."

"Close enough." Said Shikamaru as he pulled a chess board out that already had all the pieces set up as Kiba walked over.  "If you beat me, I'll leave.  If I beat you, you'll leave."

"I don't think I want to play anymore." Kiba said, and Akamaru immediately put in his two cents.  "I'm not a pussy, Akamaru!!"

"Are you playing?" Shikamaru asked.  "Cause if you don't then I win by default!"

"Fine!" said Kiba, sitting down.  "Deal me in!"

Shikamaru raised his eyebrow.  "You can go first." He said.

"Hm…" said Kiba, looking at his pieces.  "Let me just get this straight first.  The castles move forwards and sideways…"

"Rooks." Corrected Shikamaru.  "And they can move backwards too."

"And the horses are like L's."

"Knights."

"And the bishops are diagonals."  He waited.  "I got bishop right?"

"Yes."

"The queen can do whatever she wants."

"Except move like a knight."

"Which is a horse."

"Right."

"And the king can only move one square in each direction.  And the pawns can only move forward one piece but 'jump' the other pieces by moving one square diagonal…right?"

"Well, at least you know the rules." Shikamaru said, sounding relieved.  "Even if you don't know the right names of the pieces."

"No one knows the right names." Kiba said.  "Well, except you."

"So make your move." Shikamaru coaxed.

"How about…hm…I move the horse…here." Said Kiba, grabbing his knight and placing it in a different spot as Akamaru barked.  "Be quiet, Akamaru.  If you're not going to help me and be constructive then don't say anything."

"You're not supposed to move your knight on the…" started Shikamaru but then he shrugged.  "Never mind."

What ensued was a very enthralling game of chess.

"YOU TOOK YOUR HAND OFF THE PIECE!!!" Kiba yelled.  "AKAMARU SAW IT, DIDN'T YOU?!"  Akamaru barked passionately.

"I didn't take my hand off." Shikamaru said.  "I was holding it the entire time.  I never even put the piece down."

"No, no." said Kiba.  "I refuse to take my move until you put your piece back in that spot."

"Fine." Shikamaru sighed as he moved his piece back to the spot in question.  "The only difference is that I get a check now instead of a checkmate in the next turn.  That's all right though, I'll just checkmate you in two more turns."

"Wait…check and checkmate are…bad…right?" Kiba said slowly.

"In your case, yes." Shikamaru said.

"Fine, then I'll just take my castle and—"

"You have to move your king when there's a check." Shikamaru interrupted.

"But if I move my castle here I can jump your queen!" Kiba said.

"I know." Said Shikamaru.  "But it's part of the rules.  Besides, if you moved your rook from that spot then my bishop will take your king."

"I hate your bishop." Said Kiba.

"So move your king." Shikamaru said.  "The only spot you can move it is right there."—he pointed to a spot on the board—"Anywhere else and I can take it."

"I don't believe you." Said Kiba.  "You're just trying to get me to move there so you can take my king."

"I'll take it eventually anyway." Shikamaru said.

"No, I'll win!" said Kiba.

"Kiba…" Shikamaru said with a shake of his head.  "In case you have yet to notice, I have both your knights, one of your bishops, one of your rooks, your queen and all of your pawns.  All you have is a bishop and a rook and a king."

"You've just been playing with me, haven't you?!" demanded Kiba.

"My objective was to take all of your pieces but I accidentally checked you because you forced me to." Shikamaru said truthfully.

"Well I have your pawn!" said Kiba proudly.

"I had to let you take it so I could get your queen with less effort." Shikamaru replied.

"Fine, take my king then!" said Kiba angrily, knocking his king over.  "Come on, Akamaru!  A deal's a deal!  We have to go home!"

"No, it's okay." Said Shikamaru.  "I'm satisfied.  You can play more."

"Really?!" said Kiba excitedly.  "YAHOO!!  Come on, Akamaru, FETCH!!"  He then heaved the stick as far as he possibly could but Akamaru only stood there and barked.  "No, you can't throw it!!  I JUST DID!!  YOU HAVE TO GET IT!!!"

Akamaru argued.

"Fine then we can just stand here all day until you get the stick!" Kiba said, scoffing at Akamaru.  "You're NEVER going to get it?!  I'm going home then!  You can stay here and throw it all you want, see how I care!"

Kiba then stomped off in crazed rage.  Akamaru stood there for a second before frolicking after him.

Shikamaru lied back down and looked at the clouds.

Why were they white?