In the village

"Is that so" Shikamaru said as he waited for her to make a move "You proably have skill you just don't recognize them yet because you are too young. this is troublesome" Shikamaru said as he picked up a book and started to read while he waited

Toshi moved her piece after a few seconds of thought, and hummed to herself. "...you have no idea what my real age is," she whispered under her breath, smiling to herself.

"It does not matter I am as I always have seemed an old man at heart. I simply want to be a so-so nija get married have two kids first a girl then a boy is that so bad?" Shikamaru took her piece and turned the page in his book.

Toshi made her next move more hesitantly. "Hm...You have most of your goals straight, huh?" she comments, a bit envious.

"It is not tough as long as your goals are small and simple." Shikamaru said yawning and turning the page in the book. I am bored like always I need a challenge other than dad he will just kick my butt from here to kingdom come.

"Hm...do you think pleasing a master and obeying his orders is a good goal?" she asked, her eyes unfocused as she moved her piece.

"No protecting someone on the other hand is." Shikamaru moved his piece without a moments hestation. she needs guidance and focus. "Check"

"Oh." Toshi smiled, even though she knew from the start that she would lose. "Wanna play again, Nara-sensei?"

"The game is not yet over little one" Shikamaru said as he took a drag of his dwindling cigurette. This kid needs help, possiablly Kakashi could help her but as the unofficial Hokage he is too busy for this proablly, this bites.

"Eh, but I'll lose anyway... I'm only good with puzzles...meh." Toshi concentrated a little, and moved a piece.

Shikamaru took the piece "Then simply consider this as a puzzle kid." I guess it is up to me to teach her a few things before she gets lost along the way of life. "That makes you in check again" Shikamaru said nonchelauntly as if it were nothing.

"A...puzzle? How can I do that?" Toshi frowned lightly in concentration, and made an unexpected move. She planted her piece fully vulnerable for the taking.

Shikamaru ignored the piece and set up a new gambit of his own. This is the simple "if you know what to do all games are a puzzle to be solved" He said as he made another move "Check and mate"

Toshi looked curious. "Why's it called a check? And why's it a check and mate?"

"The actual term is check-mate" Shikamaru said as he cleaned up the board "and it is from of a persian word meaning a helpless king. Shall we go again?"

Toshi looked up at the sky briefly, the nodded to him, smiling. "Hey, d'you think I'm actually fit to be a ninja?"

Shikamaru sighed, so troublesome, "It is possible but you need to set a goal for yourself as a ninja and focus on it." Shikamaru turned the page just trying to relaxe. "You can go first."

Toshi nodded, and slipped her piece forward on the board. "What if...someone comes along and changes your goal?"

"Your goal is your own no one can change your goal other than you." He set up a theives gambit of his own. "To keep yourself sane you need to maintain your sense of self and your goals, but in your current state you will find that impossible."

Toshi shrugged. "Don't you believe in miracles, Nara-sensei? Anything is possible."

"Miracles?" Shikamaru was taken off a little bit "Um... I am not sure, I have seen people do things that that people said were impossible, but I would not call those miracles so I am not sure"

Toshi smiled brightly. "If I win this game from you, do you consider it a miracle?"

"That is doutful but no I would not it just means you used your head and focused" Shikamaru said taking a small drag from his cigurette. "I have been beat in shogi before so it is not as if it is impossible for me to be beaten"

"But then again, I'm me," she said, laughing a little like Naruto. "Hah, it'd be a miracle if I even get a check." She grinned, and made her move.

Shikamaru sighed "You should try not to fall into traps so easily." He made his move preparing to take her king in two moves. "This is troublesome" taking a final drag on the cigurette before putting it out and reading a little more