Shika•Writes

Forges a battlefield in a place where strife was only a children’s fable.

Battlecries in division where wholeness held a homestead.

Brawling, contending in self destruction.

Blades and punctures gnaw into flesh.

Cries in agony, like despairing lambs succumb the combat zone.

They scream at me, screech at me, morphing defenseless creatures

into jeering monstrosities, crying out their afflictions.

“You’re a fake.”

“You’re lost forever.”

“Unwanted”

“Useless.”

“A mess.”

Ashes submerge us, smoke blinds us.

Gnats and flies mindlessly feast on deteriorating identity.

Fire consumes aspirations. Lies mutilate the soul.

Smell of decay incinerates hope.

Seeks to eradicate what a kingdom helped us become.

Sinks in our open wounds, slithers in.

A basilisk’s infectious venom.

Invades the bloodstream, ruptures the mind and soul.

Death withholds us, judgement awaits us.

As we cholericly lacerate ourselves,

dismantling our veracious core.

Hey troublesome.

Man, how long has it been since you’ve been at it?

Wind scything past the deepest shadowed parts of who I am,

Gusting towards fragments of me not many have seen?

You’re brash like always, a ruthless rhino rampaging and slashing your way to segments of me no one other than my father or sensei ever bothered to barrage to.

You’re a lethal cyclone, woman.

A merciless rush of wind breezing past any obstacle I try to put up against you.

Learning my deepest strategies, the tactics I use trying to hide from the world and remain slumbering in apathy.

Who can hide from those spiraling zephyrs that destroy anything a man can take cover behind?

You see the most vulnerable components of who I am. Yet your scythes don’t scar. They only reveal. Showcase parts of me that need to be seen. Parts I forget about or find too bothersome to display willingly. Yet you make me.

You remind me of what I need to do. My potential. My role to my friends. To my village. My role to the King.

A non-destructive, but unveiling mistral.

You blow away the smokescreens I try to set up.

Typhoon me towards reality.

Woman, you deadly mistress.

You frightening enchantress.

You’re everything a guy like me is terrified of, yet desires and requires.

When I’ve wanted to give up, you remembrance me of my potential.

When I’ve cowarded and sought to run away, you’ve breathed sense into me.

who in the world knew someone as unambitious as me would ironically fall for a woman as strong willed as you?

That’s a play by destiny I never expected. A move that seized me by surprise.

I’m more grateful to the Will of the Fire for having brought you into my life than I care to voice but it’s reality.

So, happy birthday to you,

You troublesome desert flower,

You calming breeze.

Temari, you’re the light that shapes my shadow.

Shikadai said out of habit, as he took his shoes off. He didn’t expect anyone to be at home and was surprised to find his father sitting by the shogi board, cigarette in hand, staring listlessly at the wall.

'You are back awfully early today.’

Shikamaru was startled. He hadn’t noticed his son enter the room.

“Hey, kiddo. How was your day?”

'The usual.’ Shikadai shrugged and sat across his father. He glanced at the ashtray that lay on the ground.

“I found this note.”

'Oh, right. Mum left for Suna in the morning. You’ve been so busy lately. She thought by the time you’d come home, I might not be awake.’

“I see.” Shikamaru took a drag.

“Would you like to amuse your old man for a while?”

Shikadai started to set up the shogi pieces. He made the first move.

'Dad, can I ask you something? What was grandpa like? I’ve heard about him from you and grandma. Even mum said he was a great strategist. But, what was he really like?’

Shikamaru frowned a bit, stroking his goatee. Shikadai could see his father going through a million memories behind those closed eyes.

Shikamaru calmly opened his eyes and smiled. “To put it simply, he was the wisest man I’ve known.”

'You mean he was even smarter than you?’

Shikamaru made a move and looked his son in the eye. “Why don’t you try to figure out the difference. I’d rather you take after him than me.”

Shikadai scratched his head.

Shikamaru got up. “For now, help me out with the dinner.”

________

Shikamaru was sitting on his porch, going through some paperwork. The sun was completely blocked by dark clouds and it had started to drizzle. Temari had been gone for almost a week now. Did she always stay in Suna for so long? He thought of the time when they had to strenuously walk for three days to reach the village. With the advent of the thunder train everything had changed. Maybe it was the weather which made each passing minute feel like an hour.

'Hey, dad.’

Shikamaru turned around to see a pair of teal eyes staring at him.

'Mum should be back by dinnertime. I’m off.’

No matter how hard he tried, Shikamaru’s mind kept going back to the conversation he had with Shikadai. What was Shikaku really like? Did he know his father as well as he’d like to believe?

His father’s final words came to mind. He smiled, unconsciously. He was reminded of the conversations he’d had with his father over the years. He could see his younger self questioning Tsunade’s appointment. “I was quite the chauvinistic pig, wasn’t I?” He thought to himself and smirked. As he was walking to the office, another memory popped into his head. The time he’d first encountered his future wife. How troublesome.

Shikamaru reached the office and forgot all about it as he busied himself with work.

________

It was almost dusk. Shikamaru reached for his pack of cigarettes. Lighting one, he gazed at the filed paperwork on his desk. When did he turn into such a workaholic? The kid he used to be would probably not approve of this lifestyle, but he liked it just fine. It had all started with his first mission as a Chunin. The difference between the knowledge and the reality of a mission had been made frightfully clear to him. Shikaku’s words had got him through that phase and many more in the future. Temari was there too. Who would’ve thought she would become such an indispensable presence in his life. Shikamaru had been feeling a little restless for the past few days. In fact, ever since he’d read the note from Temari. When was the last time they had a real conversation?

He recalled Shikadai’s words. Were they starting to take his absence for granted? He knew that he devoted enough time to his son’s training. What was this feeling then?

The sky was quickly turning into a darker hue. Shikamaru started walking home, still reminiscing. He remembered the time he couldn’t fathom the relationship between his parents. He wondered what were Shikadai’s thoughts on the matter. He entered the house and went to the living room. A game of shogi seemed like a good idea to divert his attention for a while.

'Hey, there.’

Temari was sitting at the table. He’d completely forgotten what Shikadai had said in the morning. Somehow Temari looked more peaceful than ever. Seeing her brothers might’ve lifted her spirits. He looked into her teal eyes and felt a weird sense of relief. Somehow the storm of thoughts that had been troubling him had suddenly become calm. There was a box lying on the table.

“What’s this?”

Temari handed him a note. She opened the box, it was full of sweet chestnuts. She grinned.

'Let’s just say, our son is growing up.’

Shikamaru read the note.

/Mum, Dad,

I’ll be staying over at Grandma’s. See you tomorrow.

- Shikadai./

Shikamaru felt the corners of his mouth turn into a smile. For a moment he was reminded of a certain gentleman he’d known all his life. He sat next to his wife. The restlessness had finally settled.

Send some symbols to hear about more in-depth about my muse(s)!

World Views/Experiences †: Did they come from a religious family/culture? ☩: Do they practice any sort of religion? If so, is it the same as their family’s? 📿: Have they ever had a supernatural experience? 💣: Did they ever get caught in a situation because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time? ✨: What motivates them? Is it a deep rooted passion/motivation, or is it something they struggle with from time to time? 💊: Have they ever dabbled in drugs? If so, what kinds? ☣: Have they ever been severely ill? If so, did it leave an effect on their overall health in the long run? 💉: Do they suffer from any sort of chronic illness or bodily fragility? ✪: Have they ever let a rare opportunity slip them by?

Locations 🔅: What’s a place that holds special meaning to them? Why? 💧: Are there any places they avoid? If so, why? 🔥: What’s a place that left them motivated in some fashion? 💋: Where did they have their first kiss? Do they remember who it was with? 🌟: Do they have any places they want to go before they die? For what reasons do they want to go there? 🌙: Where is the most unusual place they’ve fallen asleep at?

We praise Shikamaru for being a brilliant strategist, but SLEEP ON HOW GOOD OF AN ACTOR HE IS!! Here are some of his best moments:

When he went along with Ino’s plan to seduce Neji and straight up asked for his autograph. That is an ad lib I will never forget. I had to pause and rewind that scene to make sure it was actually SHIKAMARU who said it. Damn gold.

In his match against Kin, he acted like he was in pain but he was actually just bidding his time, waiting for his shadow imitation jutsu to succeed.

Another epic moment: when he was pretending to sleep along with those affected by the genjutsu. I’m dead y’all.

When they were all stuck in Jirobo’s chakra-draining earth structure, and Shikamaru fooled him, along with Naruto and Kiba, into thinking he was betraying them not that Kiba and Naruto are hard to fool…when he was really trying to discern his location outside.

He made Tayuya think that he and Naruto were going to fight her 2 vs. 1 when it was just a ruse to help Naruto escape. I laugh every time I watch this because their acting was so bad, but Tayuya still fell for it. “Teamwork”, he says.

When he made Tayuya think that she foiled his strategy, but it was all part of the plan. You go, Shika!!! Look at him trying to look all defeated I love him

Then he acted like he was still affected by her genjutsu, but he was just waiting for her to approach him so he could counterattack.

Finally, when Shikamaru made Hidan think he got his blood when it was actually Kakuzu’s. The expressions he showed convinced Hidan he won when, again, it was all part of the plan. That was some A-class acting by this genius.

We praise Shikamaru for being a brilliant strategist, but SLEEP ON HOW GOOD OF AN ACTOR HE IS!! Here are some of his best moments:

When he went along with Ino’s plan to seduce Neji and straight up asked for his autograph. That is an ad lib I will never forget. I had to pause and rewind that scene to make sure it was actually SHIKAMARU who said it. Damn gold.

In his match against Kin, he acted like he was in pain but he was actually just bidding his time, waiting for his shadow imitation jutsu to succeed.

Another epic moment: when he was pretending to sleep along with those affected by the genjutsu. I’m dead y’all.

When they were all stuck in Jirobo’s chakra-draining earth structure, and Shikamaru fooled him, along with Naruto and Kiba, into thinking he was betraying them not that Kiba and Naruto are hard to fool…when he was really trying to discern his location outside.

He made Tayuya think that he and Naruto were going to fight her 2 vs. 1 when it was just a ruse to help Naruto escape. I laugh every time I watch this because their acting was so bad, but Tayuya still fell for it. “Teamwork”, he says.

When he made Tayuya think that she foiled his strategy, but it was all part of the plan. You go, Shika!!! Look at him trying to look all defeated I love him

Then he acted like he was still affected by her genjutsu, but he was just waiting for her to approach him so he could counterattack.

Finally, when Shikamaru made Hidan think he got his blood when it was actually Kakuzu’s. The expressions he showed convinced Hidan he won when, again, it was all part of the plan. That was some A-class acting by this genius.

“So…..you got me cornered, huh? 

Alright, I guess I don’t have a choice in the matter, do I? My biggest fear….I’d have to say it would be losing everyone closest to me in some tragic manner, having to watch it happen without being able to do anything about it. It would destroy me. It’s people like Naruto, Temari, and Choji after all, who give me a reason to keep on going in this troublesome world to begin with. Without those guys? I don’t know what would become of me.

“Are you sure about this?”

Kankuro repeated, incase his sister didn’t hear him the first time.

‘We leave for Konoha in the morning.’ She said without turning to look at him. Kankuro scoffed at her, and left. The next morning the three siblings got ready to leave. Gaara could sense the tension between the two, but chose not to comment on it. “We should visit Shikamaru’s mother after the meeting.” he said. Kankuro just looked away and started walking ahead of the other two. Not much was said during the journey which spanned over three days. Temari kept glancing at Kankuro who was trying his best to avoid eye contact.

“The Hokage should be expecting us,” Gaara said matter-of-factly, as they made their way towards the Hokage’s office. “What about his advisor?” Kankuro blurted out. Gaara glanced at his siblings and kept on walking. Temari pretended like she didn’t hear it.

As they were about to enter the building, Temari stopped Gaara. 'Is it okay if Kankuro and I don’t attend the meeting?’ “Yes, I’ll see you guys back at the inn.”

“I’m not tired,” Kankuro said as he and Temari started walking.

'We are not going to the inn, just come with me.’

They walked through the streets of Konoha and then through the forest and up a hill…. For Kankuro it felt like they had been walking forever.

“Where are we going, anyway?”

'We’re almost there.’

Kankuro was following Temari as they reached the top of the hill. He was about to complain again when he saw the view in front of him. He could see the village down below and the Hokage monument in front of him. It was almost like facing the Hokages in person. He was able to see the distinctive facial features of each of them even from this distance. Kakashi’s impression looked the most impressive and was in a far better condition than the rest for obvious reasons.

Kankuro took a deep breath. He could feel the cool breeze against his skin. He looked down at the tiny houses, trees, people who almost looked like toys from some kid’s game. He turned his head to meet Temari’s gaze who had a smile on her face.

“Don’t tell me this is where he proposed to you.”

'Too cheesy, isn’t it?’

“So are you gonna marry the guy just for this view?”

'It was my idea, getting married. He wouldn’t dare ask me to leave Suna.’

“Why would you, then? I mean Konoha is okay, but if he really loves you, why doesn’t he move to Suna?”

'Because I want it this way.’ Temari was looking at the tiny houses in front of her. She looked surprisingly calm.

'Ever since we were kids, I only had one goal: to serve Suna in whichever way possible. But so much has changed since then, the war, everything. I’ve changed too. The same Konoha we tried to invade is going to be my home. It’s not like I’m chasing some guy I fell for. I’m ready for this change.’

Kankuro didn’t say anything for a while. He kept looking ahead. He could hear the rustling of the leaves and the chirping of the birds. There was a faint noise in the air due to the busy village down below.

“I guess I was being selfish. Remember the time we were batshit scared of Gaara? Who would’ve thought he’d grow up to become the man we know today. It took me sometime to start seeing Gaara as my brother and not as a monster. We’re both guilty of that. But we were in this together. We’ve always been together. Although I never wanted to admit this, ever since mum left I only looked up to you for support. It never occurred to me that the kind of life you want for yourself could be so different than mine.”

Temari rested a hand on his shoulder and smiled gently.

'It’s not gonna be easy, you know. I need you guys to back me up.’

“Always. I might’ve been a shitty brother in the past, but not anymore.”

'C'mon, don’t be so hard on yourself. Gaara forgave us ages ago, it’s time you forgive yourself too.’

Kankuro took one last look at Kakashi’s face and turned around.

❝Knight (桂). This was the prominent designation his esteemed Sensei had distinguished him as all those years back. One of the key vital placements found on the shōgi board. Strong, valuable, and subtle. A piece whose impending attacks are the trickiest to pinpoint. It starts off at the back of the game board. Silent and concealed. Safely tucked away behind the pawns and bishop or rook, tactically protected by the lance and silver general. A carefree unworried agent, needless to advance upon any troubles. Yet being one of the most significant players on the board, this never lasts for long. It will eventually develop into an indispensable fundamental piece in every game, if you’re playing correctly.

This was what his life had slowly integrated itself into. A knight who‘d once found himself exempt of any confrontation of trouble; a child, free enough from responsibilities to able to lay back and stare up at the clouds; safely guarded behind his sensei, father, and numerous other shinobi in konohagakure. But as the game kept unfolding, and time kept hastening, the excruciating game continued to eradicate players out, forcing new ones to grasp their place in an unending endeavor to protect the King.

🔗 - What are your muse’s standards for meaningful relationships? How quickly do they form relationships like these?