Chapter 18

Shogi, also known as Japanese chess or the Game of Generals, is a two-player strategy board game. The only reason Athena knew of the game was because of the Nara clan. Shikamaru could mostly be seen playing the game with his father. It was a game she took interest in. The game helps develop a mind for strategy. It teaches one to think. Observe before making a move. Determine your enemy's weakness. Plan for your strike. It was a very useful game to take up. She never played it before though. However, she did know the rules. And how the game was set up.

In the first row there were eleven pieces in total. Lance. Knight. Silver General. Gold General. King. Gold

General. Silver General. Knight.Lance

She eyed her pieces. Each had a role to play. Some would have to be sacrificed. But one thing is for certain. They would have to protect their king at all cost.

In the second row stood another set of pieces. Well only two actually. On the second column from left stoof the Bishop. On the second column from right stood the Rook.

The third row held pawns. Her soldiers of battle. Those most likely to be sacrificed for their chance of Victory. The poor souls. But they were nothing but pawns, weren't they? Yes, but it does not mean that they are useless. It does not mean that they are only there to be sacrificed. They do not exist to be killed. A pawn can rise up and prove its worth. A pawn is the most important part of it all.

That is what Athena thinks. For in her mind everyone is a pawn. They may think they are the king. Knight. Bishop. Lance. General. But they are nothing but pawns. Pawns to each other. Pawns ready to be used for their schemes.

She was a pawn. A part of the bigger picture. Something bigger than herself. She could be used. She would be used. There's no stopping that. It happens. It's life. Life isn't very pleasant sometimes. That she knows. She's seen the darker side of life. She knows what it's like to be nothing but a pawn to others. To be looked down on. To be branded worthless. To be branded as someone who will never succeed.

She's straying. Her mind is wandering. She's supposed to be focused on the game. She's not supposed to over think or dive too deep into everything. And yet that is exactly what she was doing.

She slowly placed her fingers on her chosen pawn. She scanned the board. Taking in her opponent's play. Clever. Very clever. She's destined to fail if she does not plan carefully. Expect anything. Think. Observe. Stay calm. Stay focused. She moved the pawn. She stared and waited.

She didn't know if she could win. She was up against a Nara. Up against a member of the smartest clan. Could she excel? She was doing surprisingly well. The game went on. She did not fall. It had been thirty minutes. All was silent. The adults were no longer conversing. She could feel eyes on her. Watching and observing. It made her uncomfortable. She wasn't supposed to focus on anything except the war she was currently in. She must protect her king. She ignored her discomfort. She pushed it to the back of her head. She focused.

She looked up and met the eyes of the prodigious Nara she sat opposite of. Her eyes went back to the board. The boy made a move.

She blinked.

She was trapped.

She hadn't seen it coming. She was distracted by her own thoughts. It wasn't for long. She had only been in her head for less than a minute. That was more than enough for him to find an opening. For her to miss his plan. His strategy.

Now she was trapped with no where to go.

It was checkmate.

"Do you wanna go again? " the boy asked. His voice was laced with clear laziness. He didn't seem interested in the situation at all. He yawned as he started to rearrange the board. Slowly. He was taking his time.

"You're very good at the game, are you sure you never played it before? " came the voice of the adult Nara in the room.

Athena glanced at him and shook her head. She looked back to the board. Her hand was toying with her necklace as she watched.

"Why exactly did you make me play the game? " she questioned as she looked at the four adults in front of her.

They sat at a table, drinking tea. Her parents were watching her very carefully. So were Shikaku and Inoichi.

For some reason the Hokage saw the need to direct her to the Yamanaka compound to see the clan leader. She didn't like the sound of that. The Yamanaka's are known for their mind abilities. Mind transfer jutsu being the one Athena more familiar with. Either way she didn't find it very amusing to be seated in front of the man. She was even more uncomfortable when she found that Shikaku was paying a visit. When she arrived they suggested she try her luck with Shogi against Shikamaru while they conversed. She didn't object or say anything for that matter. She just sat there and played the game for the first time. She was a hit proud of herself. She didn't immediately lose to the boy. Their game lasted longer than she expected.

"The way one plays can say a lot about them" Shikaku said as he sat with folded arms. He looked bored. Very bored. Lazy Nara. "You're a very smart kid. Your strategies were impressive. But you were distracted by your thoughts. You were pulled into your head and as such your kingdom fell"

Athena frowned and looked down at the board again. She was being observed and was easily decoded. She felt exposed. Vulnerable. She hated that feeling. She shifted uncomfortably, her grip on her necklace tightened.

"Why did the Hokage direct me here? "

"He wanted me to try to help you" Inoichi informed. "I've been told you have some issues that gravely affect your mental state and was of thinking"

Athena glared at the ground as she realized what she was unwillingly pushed into. A therapy session. That old man. She told him she would prefer her past remain the past. There was no need to bring it up. She just wanted to forget. Like it never happened. She wanted nothing to do with her past. That life exists no more. So why is it affecting her so? Why is she still afraid?

"I can help you"

"I want to forget but I'm sure that is not what you're supposed to do, is it? "

The man shook his head. "I apologize  but it is not healthy to bury such things. They will only resurface to hurt you again"

Athena said nothing for she knew the man was right. She knew that burying her memories wasn't the best idea, but she was too afraid to face them. She sighed as she looked up at the man. She had to face them, didn't she? At some point she would have to. She would have to is she planed on being the best ninja she could. If she planned to protect those most important to her.

She sighed.

"Fine"

"Fine? "

"Yes, fine. You can tinker around in my head. Do whatever it is you need to do. Just stay away from the important info" she said as she turned her bod fully towards the man and closed her eyes as she waited. She was nervous. Very nervous. This man would be in her head. It was not the most ideal situation for her.

She felt fingers placed carefully on her temple. The man was gentle as he added slight pressure. Athena took a deep breath as she prepared for the new experience. She had no clue what it would feel like. She just hoped it was not painful. She was hoping she was prepared for it.

After some time she could feel an odd pressure on her mind.

~~~~~~~

Inoichi was confused. Generally it took him no time at all to enter an individual's mind. He just had to focus. Clear his mind. Focus on the other's chakra. The way to flowed to the brain. Connect and enter. Simple. He became an expert in this field. It is something he trained for for years.

But at the moment it was not working. He could not access the child's brain. He could gain no access.

Maybe if he added a little more pressure. Mostly if it is hard to enter one's mind he needed to be a bit forceful. To push past whatever it was that was blocking him. Bypass what was trying so very hard to push him away.

Ever so gently he started to add a bit more pressure. He was slowly pushing back. Being as gentle as he could. He didn't want to hurt the child. He was trying to help her. She's been through a lot. That much he could tell. He did not wish to cause her more harm.

He let out a breath. It was becoming straining. He could feel it wearing down on his mentality.

How could he not access this child's mind.

He pushed further. The pressure on his own brain only grew. Odd. What is trying to push him back.

He pushed harder. He was being a tad bit more forceful.

It was a mistake. Something pushed back. Hard. The pressure on his brain increased considerably and he let out a shout of pain. His hands left Athena's tanples and found his own as he tried to ease the pain.

What in the world?

He struggled through the pain to open his eyes. To look at the girl.

He blinked in confusion when he noticed the change in her eye color. He was sure her eyes were golden amber. Yes they were. So how were they suddenly a deep purple? Her pupils seemed to be surrounded by flames? Flickers? He didn't know what they were. It confused him.

No sooner had he seen it and it was gone. She had blinked and her normal eye color returned. She looked at him. Confusion in her eyes.

"What happened? "

Inoichi said nothing. He was still confused and suffering from the pain.

"Inoichi" Shikaku went to check on him. "What's wrong? What happened? "

"I couldn't get in. I was being pushes away. Forced away. When I tried to force myself in there was sudden immense pressure on my mind" He explained as he rubbed at his temples. The pain was slowly fading. Very slowly.

"Athena, were you resisting? " Tsunade asked as she went to check on the girl to make sure she wasn't in any pain what so ever. She was confused as well. She had seen the change in her eyes. It was only for a brief moment, but she saw it. What was that? A dojutsu? That could not be possible. Could it?

"I wasn't resisting. At least I don't think so. I accepted that this was needed and tried to calm myself, but I did not try to resist "

"Then why can't Inoichi access your mind? " Shikaku asked. It wasn't really directed at the girl or any one. It was more to himself. He was trying to figure this out. He had seen the child's eyes as well.

"Troublesome"

Shikamaru sat silently in a corner watching the entire scene calmly. He had nothing to say. He didn't know what was going on. He could care less about it actually. He just wanted to go watch the clouds. Or take a nap. Or do nothing. Even so, he found himself curiously eyeing the young blonde. Why did her eyes suddenly change? He may not know exactly what was going on but there was one thing he knew for certain.

This girl wasn't normal by any means.

~~~~~~

Athena was lost in her head as she walked the streets of Konoha. She had left the Yamanaka compound with her parents some time ago. Nothing was said. It was silent between them. She needed to think. The entire situation that took place a few minutes ago made no sense to her. Go did Inoichi fail to enter her mind? He was an expert in his field. It should have been a piece of cake for him. A walk in the park. But he couldn't do it. Not only that but he got hurt as well.

Something wasn't right.

What was wrong with her? When she had opened her eyes everything had seen different. Everyone suddenly had some odd aura around them. Colors varied. There was something else. She couldn't place it. An odd feeling. A very odd feeling that left her confused. When she blinked everything was normal.

She sighed and finally looked up to see where she has brought herself.

"The Hyuga compound? " Jiraiya questioned behind her. "You here to see your friend? "

Athena shrugged and continued on. Those she past didn't pay her much attention. She visited enough times it seems. Seeing her was starting to become normal.

"Ah, young Senju" Hiashi was the one to greet her at his door. "Tsunade, Jiraiya, welcome "

"Sorry for the intrusion. We're just following Athena" Tsunade excused.

"It's quite alright. She comes here often" He stepped aside as the five year old walked into the house.

Athena had been there enough to know her way around. She had met Neji once or twice but they never spoke. The second he saw her he would head in the opposite direction. It seemed he was determined to stay away from her.

She stepped out of the house and out onto the training ground to find Hinata training, as she expected.

"Hey Hinata"

At the sound of the voice the coy girl jumped and yelped in shock.

Athena couldn't help but smile at the reaction she received. It was adorable. Hinata never fails to bring a smile to her face.

"Athena. Um... Hello"

Athena chuckled to herself at the awkward way the girl waved. She placed herself on the ground near a tree and motioned for the Hyuga to join.

"Is something wrong? "

"No" Athena started to pull some grass out of the dirt as she just enjoyed the other's company. "I just found myself at your compound "

"Oh" Hinata noticed that whenever Athena came to see her it was mostly unconsciously.

"My parents are leaving tomorrow " Athena was calm despite the odd emotion she felt swelling. She started to roll the grass between her fingers. "I have to go with them"

Athena then turned to face her friend. An unreadable expression on her face. She could tell by the look in the Hyuga's eyes that she understood where she was going with the conversation.

"You'll be away for a long time, won't you? " she was almost afraid to say those words. Athena would be gone for a long period of time. Years even. She could tell by the look in her eyes. It didn't make he feel so good. "How long? "

"Seven years" Athena sighed. "I'll spend three years training under my mother. The same amount of time with my father and the last year I will go off on my own"

"You'll come back right? "

"Of course I will. I want to be a ninja of the leaf" Athena allowed herself a smile. "Besides I have to come back to see how much stronger you have become "

Hinata smiled weakly. "You'll be gone for so long"

Another sigh. Athena looked at what she had created with the grass from the ground. A necklace. She smiled as observed it. Made of grass, holding a flower made of wood.

"Here" she held it out to Hinata. "Take it"

"A necklace? "

"Yeah. I just made it"

Hinata held the gift in her hands. Did she really make that with grass and wood? Athena was really... What word should she use to describe her odd friend?

"That's a lavender flower" Athena informed with a smile.

"You like lavenders? "

"Yep, very much" Athena smiled brightly. "Your eyes have a mix of lavender in them so the flower is fitting "

Hinata blushed at the comment. Athena always said such things about her eyes. She's the first to appreciate her eyes.

"I'll make myself one. I'll make it special. I'll try to make it that whenever one of us adds chakra to it it'll glow just a bit. We can always stay in contact like that. " Athena suggested. "Do you like that idea? "

"Very much so"