[b]Nara, Shikako[/b]
[i]Land of Fire - Tea Room, Nara Compound, Morning[/i]

“Shikamoe was murdered last night.”

Shikako felt her heart break under her chest and her fingers twitched against her thigh.

“Oh.”

Shikaro stared at her with lazy, searching eyes and she felt him digging into her soul. He was waiting for her to burst into tears or throw the table across the room. Instead, Shikako sat there in seiza, fiddling with her hands in her lap. Shikamoe was a close friend, very close, and Shikako didn’t have many of those. Actually, she had none. Who wanted to be friends with deficit Nara heir? Well, a lot would, but ever since people began looking to Shikashi as the next leader, her list of friends had shrinking. Shikamoe was probably the last person who was truly her friend, if Shikako was honest with herself. 

Shikako has had people die in her life before; she is a shinobi, after all. However, every time was different. One time she might have thrown a fit and punch a hole through the wall and another she might have cried until her eyes were puffy and red. Both of those instances had been in different times of her life, though, and this time, this moment, was in a different time as well. In this time, Shikako was used to sorrow and disappointment. In this time, Shikako just felt numb. Emotions did not swirl in her belly and thoughts didn’t devour her mind; no, all she had was the numb static sprinkled across her limps and soul. 

After a long moment of silence, Shikaro seemed satisfied with her reaction and nodded to himself, taking a sip of his tea. “Good, Shikako. Now, we must proceed with how we should handle this. What do you think we should do?”

Shikako glanced up from her lap and into the eyes of her father, the man that once coddled her with the warmth of fire, but now seemed like a distant silhouette with the icy grips of conviviality. He acted friendly and warm at times, polite and respectful, but he was nothing more than acquaintance to her. He had been nothing more than an acquaintance since the clan discovered of her insufficient chakra control. 
“We question the other clans of their participation in the killing of Shikamoe while continuing an investigation.” Shikako answers, picking at her nails nervously.

“No, you are thinking politically. What should we do strategically?” Shikaro prompted, his tone hard and calculating.

Shikako felt anxious sweat drip down her face and slip into her eyes. She had to blink multiple times to get the saltiness from her vision, lest it irritate her more. What was the right answer? If she is thinking politically, what would be the strategic answer? 

The Nara Clan had strong jutsu, indeed, but it didn’t have as much strength as the other big competitors and only had an average amount of members, not enough to swarm. The only thing that made the Nara Clan a worthy opponent was its skill in strategy and war. If they didn’t have numbers or strength, they couldn’t offend the other clans or make Shikamoe’s death public, now could they?

“We keep quiet about it. We conduct a quiet investigation and increase security. We must remain on the defense until we discover the culprit; and when we do, we quietly and surreptitiously slaughter him in the most gruesome way we can in order to spread the message that no one messes with the Nara.” Anger, pulled from deep within Shikako’s gut, so deep she hadn’t noticed it, rises into her voice. It wasn’t the simmering rage that Shikako has felt when faced with Shikashi’s taunts. Instead, it was the cold fury that freezes and freezes in one’s heart, living and living until revenge is dealt.

“Correct.” Shikaro murmurs, leaning back and taking another gulp of his tea. He sets it down and levels his eyes with Shikako, his intense gaze burning and scorching her. “But Shikashi would have gotten it on the first time.”

[b]Nara, Shikashi[/b]
[i]Land of Fire - Nara Compound, Morning[/i]

Shikashi slowly stood up and crossed his arms, glancing at the newcomer with a suspicious gaze. Shikayo glances at the newcomer as well before tossing a nod to Shikashi and leaving.

“This is the Nara Compound and you are intruding.” Shikashi hisses, hunching his shoulders and baring his teeth. “Leave, now.”
Shikashi readies his chakra in case the intruder doesn’t leave peacefully and his muscles tense in preparation. However, nobody would notice it unless one knew Shikashi like the back of one’s hand.