Acquiring Sentence (discontinued)

Checkmate

Turtle here starting Naruvember on the second day of November- hhh.

- - -

'There is a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased that line' -Oscar Levant

- - -

Shiru stared in begrudging silence as she watched two Root ANBU play chess with their guard still high and intact. She wanted to play against one, to test her ever lasting genius, but she stayed.

She stayed silent as the Chimpanzee masked one called checkmate and the other Fish masked one stared in masked confusion.

She snorted at the irony and rolled over to her side on the surprisingly comfortable metal-lined bed.

Her thoughts led her to insane places, her usually sane mentality getting worse by the day. As said, the most powerful weapon is the next move. And the one after that, until checkmate is called. She hated herself for not having that one next move. She should have escaped from the office when she still had the chance! God, she wasn't thinking when she was caught and brought here by none other than the Hokage himself.

Yet. What is chess without the silly little mistakes everyone makes?

- - -

Shiru Nara's parents were getting worried these passing days. It's been more than a week, precisely 10 days, 4 hours, and 27 minutes since Shiru'd gone missing and they were getting frightened by the second.

What had happened to their precious little girl? No one knew. And the Hokage so dared say he didn't know either. Trusting him as their mighty leader, they left without suspicion. They though she had been rather secluded lately, they didn't think it was something to mull over with since Itachi's...act, so they let her be. But her disappearing suddenly for god knows the reason after running past them in the kitchen was...worrying.

They even searched in her room for any evidence, got some Jonin to help with investigating, yet nothing. Zero. Not a clue as to what had happened to trigger her disappearance.

So now, they were going to the Nara clan head to ask for some help of expertise. He was one of the most skilled, if not the most, here, and his help would very much be needed. They were childhood friends, and Shama, Shiru's father, had saved him once and done him a favor more than he could count. It would be rude to turn it down, but they understood if he did.

They knocked on the dark brown shoji door and waited until it slid open, revealing a dark brown haired woman in a white apron. She stared at them with a slight frown but forced a smile and ushered them in with a wave and a shake of their hands. They thought, she must have heard of the happening.

"Hello, Yoshino-san. Perhaps, is Shikaku here? We would like to ask him something," Shama asked nervously and held his wife's hand who was slightly shaking. Yoshino nodded with a reassuring smile and stood up to call her husband, but he came in in just that moment.

He gave a short nod of the head, and the guests mimicked the action.

"Good afternoon Shama-san, Ilmaru-san." He greeted with respect and sat down, serious. Ilmaru was Shiru's mother, and she had short, brown hair that was always in a low bun. Her onyx eyes were a matte color and when they only had stated to lose hope had regained their tiny light.

The father, Shama, looked the same, but with tan skin instead of pale like Ilmaru and dark brown eyes. Unlike other Nara, he had short hair that always seemed neat, but now looked like a replica of a bird's nest.

"'Afteroon, Shikaku-san, Yoshino-san. Mind if we get straight to the point?" The guest male pondered in a tired voice. It wasn't so welcoming and happy seeing as they had visited unexpectedly, so the resident Nara didn't have time to prepare any welcoming food or at least some traditional tea. But, in spite, the two clan heads nodded, urging them to the point.

"Our- our daughter has been missing for 10 days. As you might have heard," he paused and looked at their faces, which were impassive, save for the pitying look from Yoshino. So they did know, unsurprising, they would have been flabbergasted if they didn't know.

The worried mother continued, "and we were wondering if you could help find her. So far, we haven't gotten any clues." They hoped, staring and the other two.

Would they agree?

- - -
Itachi stared at his bowl of ramen with his new Akatsuki partner, a blue haired and skinned Kiri nin dubbed to be Kisame Hoshigaki.

He didn't like what this organization's motive was, but if it was to help further his plans.
So, he stared at the steaming hot bowl, that he knew he wouldn't have this fresh for a while, and started eating.

He didn't usually have ramen with strangers, other rogues nonetheless. It was weird, and he felt awkward with the age gap between them and the skills set. This dude could kill him any second and get away with it. So he was on guard, partner or not.

A sudden weight on his back almost made him choke and he looked to his right to the culprit, not surprised to see Kisame was the owner of the action.
He gave a small glare and cleared his throat, still staring at the mass of blue bulk. Said shark-man barked out a laughter and placed a hand on the 13 year old's shoulder, "hah! You're so jumpy and awkward. Who knew this was who Itachi Uchiha was! I sure didn't." This dude reminded him of those old men with accents who drank soda and beer in alleyways or on the blocks who laughed as they hit their knees. He shivered and erased that picture from his precious mind, thinking back to the guy's real appearance and he silently let out a sigh of relief but still cringed slightly.

"Hn."

Kisame had to do a double take.

Needless to say, the ramen had gotten cold that day.
- - -

Itachi didn't forget, how could he? It was Shiru's birthday and he would not forget. She turned the same age as him, and he was not there for her, with her to celebrate it.

He mulled over it. Why couldn't he have chosen a later date? He angrily wondered as he snuck to look outside said girl's bedroom. No one. He narrowed his eyes and checked the place they always went at her birthday. The Akimichi's restaurant, one of the best in Konoha with top quality food. They always saved up to go there for her birthday, so it was a rare experience.

But she wasn't there. Of course she wasn't, he dumbly thought. They always promised to always go there together no matter what. He hated the fact that she'd have to wait and never go back to her favorite restaurant.

He searched all night, but not a sign of her, and he was getting worried. But he couldn't stay for much longer, he was a new member of Akatsuki and he couldn't raise suspicion by leaving for long on his second day.

So he left, not hearing the cries coming from under him.
---
I crammed the first and second day of Naruvember on this chapter.

Day 1: Checkmate
Day 2: Ramen