Negotiation
On his little four-year-old legs, Nara Shikamaru heads towards his favorite nap spot. To tell the truth, it has only been his favorite nap spot for a few months, since he discovered it in spring and frequented it from season to season, observing the nuances brought by the passing days. It is a carpet of thick, lush grass in the hollow of a clearing in the clan forest. It's just big enough for a child's body, and he knows that at this time, the old oak at the edge provides a kindly shade, pierced only by a few tickling rays of sunlight. The foliage, however, opens onto a corner of blue sky where he can watch the fluffy clouds go by, and only the joyful songs of the birds will disturb the calm of this corner of greenery sheltered from the little agitation that ever agitates his clan.
But upon arriving at the clearing, Shikamaru finds the place taken: his sister Shikako is lying comfortably on the exact grass mat where Shikamaru wanted to settle, right in the hollow that conforms to a child's body. She is immersed in a book, and Shikamaru observes that there are still many pages before the end. She doesn't seem to have noticed his presence.
He stops under the trees, and, as his father taught him, he takes the time to analyse the situation.
Fact 1: Shikako takes the place Shikamaru wants to take for his nap.
Fact 2: Shikako is still in the middle of her book.
Fact 3: Once immersed in a book that she considers interesting, Shikako no longer moves and remains focused on her book.
Conclusion: Shikako is taking Shikamaru's place and won't give it up on her own.
Objective: Shikamaru must forcefully move Shikako to take her place.
But how does he get Shikako to move?
The first strategy that comes to Shikamaru's mind is too obvious. He must formulate some other, more daring strategies to have a wider range of possibilities and compare their potential for success. His father keeps repeating that he must consider as many scenarios as possible. So Shikamaru reconsiders the situation and tries.
Strategy 2: Shikamaru can make noise, approach Shikako, shake her shoulder if she still doesn't look at him, and tell her that their mother needs her urgently.
Probability of success: high. Their mother always has something for them to do, and Shikako knows it. Shikamaru himself has only just escaped from his own chores.
Likely Negative Consequences: Shikako may tell their mother that Shikamaru told her she was looking for her, their mother will respond that she didn't tell Shikako anything like that, and Shikako will be upset that Shikamaru lied to her. She will understand that Shikamaru wanted to get rid of her and will ignore him for a whole evening. Shikamaru will have to apologise.
Another strategy would be preferable.
Strategy 3: Shikamaru can make noise, approach Shikako, shake her shoulder if she still doesn't look at him, and tell her that their father is waiting for her in his office.
Probability of success: high. Shikako will take the time to finish her chapter before getting up and heading home, but their father won't say anything when Shikako will probably tell him that Shikamaru told her he was waiting for her. He will even take the opportunity to teach her a lesson, or play shogi against her.
Likely Negative Consequences: Their father won't tell Shikako, but he will guess why Shikamaru lied and tell him about it during their next one-on-one lesson. He will make him justify his reasoning, explain all the flaws, and force him to formulate at least four other strategies. The next lesson will be even longer.
Another strategy is needed.
Strategy 4: Shikamaru can discreetly pick up acorns around him, and throw them at Shikako so that she has to look up from her book, and move to dodge them. He will then be able to dive onto the carpet of grass that she will have released.
Probability of success: Average. Shikako, when she reads, tends to ignore the outside world, and it will take several acorns before she looks up from her book. She could also ignore them completely, which would bring him back to the other strategies.
Probable negative consequences: If Shikamaru manages to disturb Shikako, she could take it as a game, grab the acorns and throw them at Shikamaru in turn: they will both get angry and Shikamaru will not be able to take his nap peacefully.
Another strategy must be found.
Strategy 5: Shikamaru can go a little deeper into the forest, find the nearest herd of deer, and push one of the deer towards Shikako, hoping that the deer disturbs her enough for her to move.
Probability of success: Minor. The deer do as they please when Shikamaru speaks to them, and their father himself has little success in getting them to do what he wants.
Likely Negative Consequences: If Shikamaru disturbs the deer, they will move away from him the next time he is tasked with feeding them, making the chore longer and drawing reproaches from his father who will then ask him to go and apologise to the deer until they stop moving away. And all the other Naras will know and give him a reproachful look when he passes.
Another strategy is imperative.
But even though Shikamaru racks his brains for several minutes, he can't find any other strategies that achieve the slightest degree of probable effectiveness, and after a moment, he sighs while bending over a little more. His father may talk about the importance of multiplying strategies and points of view, but it is strategy 1 that has the greatest probability of success and the fewest negative consequences.
So Shikamaru straightens, leaves the shelter of the trees and walks towards Shikako. As she doesn't react to his approach, he leans towards her to lightly shake her shoulder: ʻKako, will you move aside?ʼ His sister jumps and looks at him, without losing her place in her book. Then she moves about thirty centimetres to the left. Shikamaru immediately settles into the free space with a long sigh of contentment, lying on his back and his hands behind his head. He sinks softly into the thick grass, his back wedged into the exact curve of the ground. Fortunately there is enough room for two. He contemplates the wooly clouds frolicking in flocks in the blue sky, his eyes half-closed, lulled by the trills of the birds and the rhythmic rustle of the pages turned by his sister. It's a great day to let his mind wander.
All my thanks to Kaszira for correcting my translation.