Naruto Primer Lost Chapter: Shikamaru/Asuma
Dozed Off
It's no SECRET that Shikamaru is Asuma's prize pupil.
And you've heard the story a hundred thousand times. Shikamaru was the ONLY one to become a chuunin after the chuunin exam so therefore he is the best and therefore Asuma is the best because he did the best job training.
Right?
That's the way Asuma looked at it anyway.
Shikamaru, on the other hand, was rather surprised that he was given the title of chuuninhood. What, when all these other people were so much better than him.
But this is not another chapter all about Shikamaru being a chuunin and Asuma loving his chuuniness. You've had enough of those to last you the rest of your lives.
Shikamaru and Asuma were sitting in Shikamaru's favorite thinking spot and they were playing a riveting game of chess.
"Shikamaru, I believe this is the day I will defeat you!" Asuma declared as he moved one of his pieces across the board.
Shikamaru looked at the board and then moved a piece. "Checkmate." He said. "I win again."
Asuma looked questioningly at Shikamaru and then at the board. He mentally moved his king from square to square and realized that no matter where he went, he was stuck.
"So you have!" Asuma laughed. "In that case, I believe a rematch is in order, don't you?"
Shikamaru lied back and looked up at the clouds. He'd much rather look at the clouds or even take a nap than play another game of chess with Asuma.
"Sure." He shrugged. He didn't really have a choice in the matter anyway since Asuma was already setting the pieces back up for another game.
"Would you like to go first, Shikamaru?" Asuma asked.
"You can go first." Shikamaru said, sitting back up.
"Okay…then I will move here!" Asuma announced, moving his pawn.
Shikamaru moved his piece. Asuma moved his. Their game continued for a little while until it started getting intense. Asuma thought for a very long time until he moved his next piece. Asuma was exploring the technique of keeping his king completely boxed in with his pieces so it would be IMPOSSIBLE to check him. But that did put him at a certain handicap because he couldn't use those pieces.
Finally, he decided to just move his pawn forward a space.
Then it was Shikamaru's turn. He had already predicted what move he would do should Asuma move his pawn forward one space. But he was bored with this game and he could tell it was going to take forever, especially since he had his king encircled within his own pieces.
So he decided to go into his thinking position.
"AWWWW!!" gasped Asuma loudly as his cigarette dropped out of his gaping mouth. He quickly replaced it with another.
Asuma was silently waiting for Shikamaru to come out of his thinking position. He was feeling rather cocky that he had forced him to do so. His technique must be working! A good defense is your best offense! Or… is it your best offense is a good defense? Ah well! Either way, it was working and he was making Shikamaru THINK!!
Shikamaru could sense Asuma's excitement and anticipation. He already had a hundred different strategies that would have him rise triumphant in only a few turns. He had to crush this technique right away so Asuma wouldn't think it was a good idea and continue to use it. It was no more difficult to conquer…just ANNOYING.
Asuma patiently sat there. One of his favorite things to do while Shikamaru was thinking like this was to try to predict when he'd look up.
"Five…four…three…two…" Asuma thought. But Shikamaru didn't budge. "Five… four… three… two…" Still nothing. This was a good technique.
Shikamaru had to keep himself from sighing under his breath. He hated days like this in which he was forced to spend his entire day playing rematch after rematch against Asuma. Whether it be shougi or chess or some other game that he brought, by the end of the day, Shikamaru would be completely sick of the game to the point in which anyone SAID it, he would become irritated.
The time ticked by slowly.
If Asuma had been in a chair, he would have been at the edge of his seat. Instead, he only continued to lean over and wait for Shikamaru to suddenly spring to life and move his next piece. He started to bounce a little bit.
Shikamaru was looking down and his eyes are closed. In a position like this, he couldn't possibly steal a peek at the clouds. He wished that his habitual thinking pose had been lying down on his back with his hands behind his head while looking at the clouds. Yeah, that would have been awesome. Oh well. Too late now.
You'd think that Asuma would get bored after a while. But the longer he was forced into waiting, the more excited he got. He could only imagine what sort of strategy Shikamaru was concocting in his brain at that very moment. His head was also swelling to immense proportions at the thought that his technique was making Shikamaru think so gosh darned much.
Shikamaru hadn't expected Asuma to last this long. Even he, SHIKAMARU, the one who NEVER got bored, was getting a little bored with staring off into darkness.
Hours later. Yes, HOURS later, Asuma was still waiting.
"Hm…" Asuma said quietly. He knew he wasn't supposed to interrupt Shikamaru when he was thinking, but it had been an awfully long time. "Perhaps this technique was a little too perfect…"
Asuma waved his hand in front of Shikamaru's face. No response.
"He is FAR to preoccupied…" Asuma said, nodding enthusiastically.
After a few more moments of waiting, Shikamaru suddenly moved. Backwards. He toppled over onto his back.
"SHIKAMARU!!" Asuma exclaimed, jumping to his feet and running over to Shikamaru's aid. He grabbed Shikamaru's shoulders. "NOOOOOO!! HE'S STILL YOUNG!! TAKE ME INSTEAD!!!"
"Asuma…" Shikamaru said.
"No, Shikamaru, don't speak!!" said Asuma. "Save your strength!!"
"For what?" Shikamaru said, pushing Asuma away.
"Are you all right?" Asuma said.
"Yeah…" said Shikamaru as he sat up.
"Oh PHEW!!" said Asuma.
"I think I dozed off." Shikamaru said, standing up and stretching.
"That's a relief." Said Asuma.
"All right, I'm going home now." Said Shikamaru, turning around and leaving.
Asuma looked at the game board. "Does…this mean I won?" he wondered.